Why in News?

In a recently released report by WWF and UNEP Conflict between humans and animals is cited as one of the main threats to the long-term survival of some of the world’s most iconic species like elephants, tigers, polar bears, etc.

About UNEP:

• The UNEP is a global environmental authority established on 5th June 1972 after UN Conference on Human Environment.
• Key Functions:
  • Sets the global environmental agenda,
  • promotes the sustainable development within the United Nations system,
  • serves as an advocate for global environment protection.
• Key Reports published by UNEP:
  • Emission Gap Report,
  • Adaptation Gap Report,
  • Global Environment Outlook,
  • Invest in a Healthy Planet.
• It is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

About United Nations Environment Assembly

• UNEA is the governing body of the UNEP.
• It is the world’s highest level decision-making body on the environment.
• It meets bienniallye., once every two years
• It was created after Rio+20 in June 2012, during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.
  

  IUCN Red List	Vulnerable
  CITES	Appendix I
  WPA, 1972	Schedule I

  Conservation Efforts by India:

  • The GoI has identified snow leopard as a flagship species for the high altitude Himalayas.
  • India is party to the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme since 2013.
  • Himal Sanrakshak launched in October 2020 is a community volunteer programme, to protect snow leopards.
  • SECURE Himalaya: A joint programme by
    • Global Environment Facility (GEF)
    • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

  for conservation of high-altitude biodiversity and reducing the dependency of local communities on the natural ecosystem.

  • Project Snow Leopard, launched in 2009 to conserve snow leopards and their habitat.
  • Snow Leopard is put on the list of 21 critically endangered species for the recovery programme of the Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change, GoI.