With reference to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. IUCN is an organ of the United Nations and CITES is an international agreement between governments.

2. IUCN runs thousands of field projects around the world to better manage natural environments.

3. CITES is legally binding on the States that have joined it, but this Convention does not take the place of national laws.

Select the correct Answer using the code given below:

The correct option is 2 and 3 only.

To understand why this is correct, let us analyze each statement individually:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is not an organ or agency of the United Nations (UN). It is a unique democratic membership union that brings together both government and civil society organizations. Although IUCN has observer status at the United Nations General Assembly, it remains an independent global authority. On the other hand, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is indeed an international agreement between governments.

Statement 2 is correct: The IUCN is actively involved in conservation efforts globally and runs thousands of field projects around the world. These projects focus on managing natural environments, restoring ecosystems, and supporting local communities in sustainable development.

Statement 3 is correct: CITES is legally binding on the Parties (the States that have joined it). However, it does not take the place of national laws. Instead, it provides a broad framework that each Party must respect and implement by enacting its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is enforced at the national level.

Therefore, since statements 2 and 3 are correct while statement 1 is incorrect, the correct option is 2 and 3 only.