🚨 UPSC EXAM NOTES presents the March edition of our comprehensive monthly guide. Access it  to enhance your preparation. We value your input - share your thoughts and recommendations in the comments section or via email at Support@upscexamnotes.com 🚨

Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on March 03, 2025

Daily Insights and Initiatives for UPSC Exam Notes: Comprehensive explanations and high-quality material provided regularly for students

World Wildlife Day 2025

For Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international importance

For Mains Examination:  GS III - Environment & Ecology

Context:

March 3 is observed each year as World Wildlife Day to highlight the importance of conserving flora and fauna. The theme of World Wildlife Day for this year is ‘Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet.’

Read about:

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

Key takeaways:

• In 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated March 3 as UN World Wildlife Day to promote awareness and conservation efforts for the world’s wildlife. This date was chosen to commemorate the signing of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which was established on the same day in 1973.

• CITES is a global agreement between governments that serves as a milestone in wildlife conservation. Its primary aim is to regulate the international trade of wild animals and plants to ensure that such activities do not threaten their survival.

• Any country or regional economic integration organization that has ratified the Convention is referred to as a Party to CITES. Presently, 185 Parties are part of the agreement. The CITES Secretariat, managed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The Conference of the Parties (CoP) serves as the Convention’s highest decision-making authority, where all Parties participate in consensus-based discussions.

How CITES Functions

CITES classifies species into three Appendices based on the level of protection they require:

📍 Appendix I: Includes species at risk of extinction. Trade in these species is strictly prohibited except in exceptional cases. Examples include gorillas and Indian lions.

📍 Appendix II: Covers species that are not currently endangered but require trade regulations to prevent future threats. Examples include certain fox species and hippopotamuses.

📍 Appendix III: Lists species that are protected in at least one country, which has requested assistance from other CITES Parties in regulating their trade. Examples include the Bengal fox and the Golden jacka