INTELSAT – International Telecommunications Satellite Organization.
Interdependence – dependant of each other.
Interference – to take part in others affairs. Example: H. Josef Hebert, AP News, Dec 10, 2007: “Democratic Congressional Report Cites White House Interference With Climate Science”.
International Arctic Environment Data Directory (ADD) – has been closed and taken over by other initiatives. UNEP/GRID-Arendal Polar Programme.
International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) – a non-governmental scientific organisation established to encourage and facilitate international consultation and co-operation in Arctic research. Covers all sciences.
International Arctic Social Sciences Association (IASSA) – has the purpose to stimulate international co-operation and increase the participation of social scientists in national and international Arctic research.
International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) – an UN specialised agency that promotes research and development into peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and oversees system of safeguards and controls governing misuse of nuclear materials for military purpose. Headquarters in Vienna.
International Bank for Economic Cooperation (IBEC) – an international bank instituted by an agreement signed by Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union in October 1963 to facilitate economic cooperation among the member countries and to promote their development. Headquarters in Moscow.
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) – also known as the World Bank, which was established in 1944. The World Bank aims to reduce poverty in middle-income and creditworthy poorer countries by promoting sustainable development through loans, guarantees, risk management products, and analytical and advisory services. The World Bank raises most of its funds on the world's financial markets and has become one of the most established borrowers since issuing its first bond in 1947. The income that the World Bank has generated over the years has allowed it to fund development activities and to ensure its financial strength, which enables it to borrow at low cost and offer clients good borrowing terms. The World Bank’s policy towards indigenous peoples dates back to 1982 and was designed initially to consider the needs of relatively isolated and un-acculturated tribal groups affected by development projects. It focussed mainly on the protection of land rights and the provision of health services, particularly in relation to forest-dwelling indigenous peoples in lowland South America. In 1991, the World Bank issued a revised policy, which extended the definition of indigenous peoples to include a much wider range of peoples who maintain social and cultural identities distinct from those of the national societies where they live. While maintaining the protective measures of the earlier policy, the Bank now focused particular attention on the rights of indigenous peoples to participate in and benefit from development projects. Special procedures are outlined in the policy for incorporating indigenous peoples concerns into Bank-financed projects through the design of Indigenous Peoples Development Plans. While in the past, many of the investments were in the infrastructure and energy sectors, today an increasing number are in the fields of education, health, community development, agriculture, natural resources management and land tenure security. The Global Fund for Indigenous Peoples is the newest World Bank initiative that aims to directly assist Indigenous Peoples. The Global Fund supports three activities: 1) The Grants Facility for Indigenous Peoples provides small grants directly to Indigenous Peoples' organizations to support implementation of sustainable development projects and programs based on their cultural preferences. 2) Capacity Building for Indigenous Leaders in the Andean region of South America is a pilot program designed to strengthen the indigenous organizations of the Andean countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela). 3) Financial support for the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues will assist the Permanent Forum to promote a global partnership among Indigenous Peoples, the UN system, the Bank and other donors. The World Bank faced widespread criticism from indigenous peoples for funding massive anti-environmental projects, including mining and oil pipeline schemes. This led to a revision in its politics towards indigenous peoples. “The World Bank is honoured to be working worldwide with Indigenous Peoples in global dialog and in development projects. The World Bank aims to promote Indigenous Peoples' development in a manner which ensures that the development process fosters full respect for the dignity, human rights, and uniqueness of Indigenous Peoples.” On May 10, 2005, the Executive Directors approved a revised policy on Indigenous Peoples: “It clarifies numerous ambiguities related to: (a) the need for social assessment; (b) non-coverage of economic migrants to urban areas; and (c) the role of the Bank in screening to determine whether Indigenous Peoples are present in project area; and It simplifies the project processing requirement by establishing five clear steps: screening; social assessment; consultation with affected communities; preparation of plan or framework; and disclosure.”Headquarters in Washington.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – an UN specialised agency, which is concerned with the encouragement of safety measures in international aviation. Headquarters in Montreal.
International Commission for the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (ICNAF) – was a multinational scientific advisory organisation, established in 1950. ICNAF was replaced by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) in 1979.
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) – a convention of 1973 that came in force 1978. The purpose is to preserve the marine environment by achieving the complete elimination of international pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances. Annex V is regulating discharge of plastics and other persistent materials are particularly important as regards preventing harm to whales.
International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil (OILPOL) – the OILPOL Convention of 1954 recognised that most oil pollution resulted from routine shipboard operations such as the cleaning of cargo tanks. In the 1950s, the normal practice was simply to wash the tanks out with water and then pump the resulting mixture of oil and water into the sea. OILPOL prohibited the dumping of oily wastes within a certain distance from land and in 'special areas' where the danger to the environment was especially acute. In 1962 the limits were extended by means of an amendment adopted at a conference organised by IMO. In 1978 the MARPOL Convention absorbed the OILPOL Convention. International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling – the Whaling Convention was adopted in Washington 1946, and in force from 1948. The whaling countries on the basis of the above-mentioned convention founded the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1946. IWC distinguishes between two types of whaling operations, the commercial and the Aboriginal subsistence whaling. Until the late 1970’s IWC was a whalers’ club with a member-ship of about 15 Nation States. In 1982 the membership was brought up to 39. These new members were mostly negatively inclined to commercial whaling. The IWC agreed in 1982 to pass a moratorium on all commercial whaling.
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) – the most important treaty protecting the safety of merchant ships. The main objective of the SOLAS Convention is to specify minimum standards for the construction, equipment and operation of ships, compatible with their safety. The first version of the treaty was passed in 1914 in response to the sinking of the RMS Titanic. It prescribed numbers of lifeboats and other emergency equipment along with safety procedures, including continuous radio watches. The present convention was adopted November 1, 1974 and entered into force on May 25, 1980.
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) – also sometimes called CERD. A convention of December 21, 1965, in force in 1969. According to Art. 1 defines racial discrimination as “any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life”. ICERD is a binding treaty and falls under the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.
International cooperation – the first time nation states established an international organisation to cooperage on specific matters, was when they founded The International Telecommunication Union in 1865. In 1874 the Universal Postal Union was established. Both are now United Nations specialised agencies. In 1899, the International Peace Conference was held in The Hague (the Netherlands) to elaborate instruments for settling crises peacefully in order to preventing wars and codifying rules of warfare. It adopted the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes and established the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which began work in 1902. The actual forerunner of the United Nations was the League of Nations, an organisation conceived in similar circumstances during the First World War, and established in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles: to promote international cooperation and to achieve peace and security.The International Labour Organization(ILO) was also created under the Treaty of Versailles as an affiliated agency of the League. The League of Nations ceased its activities after failing to prevent the Second World War. United Nations (UN).
International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) – is the organisation that coordinates and promotes marine research in the North Atlantic. This includes adjacent seas such as the Baltic Sea and North Sea. ICES act as a meeting point for a community of more than 1,600 marine scientists from countries around the North Atlantic. The 20 member countries, to help them manage the North Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas, use advices from ICES. Member states are: Belgium, Canada, Denmark (including Greenland and Faroe Islands), Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
International Court of Justice (ICJ) – the ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN). It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the UN and began work in April 1946. The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs and specialized agencies. The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. A Registry, an administrative organ, assists it. The International Court of Justice replaced a similar court established in 1920 by the League of Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands.
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) – adopted December 16, 1966 by the UN General Assembly (in force 1976). Article 1 is similar to Article 1 in CESCR. It says: “All Peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. All Peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of International economic co-operation, based on the principle of mutual benefit, and International law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence.”
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) - adopted December 16, 1966 by the UN General Assembly (in force 1976). Article 1 is similar to Article 1 in ICCPR. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
International Date Line – the line that follows the 180 Meridian, and divides the Earth into the Western and Eastern hemispheres. In the Arctic the International Date Line passes between the two islands, Big Diomede Island (Russia) and Little Diomede Island (U.S.A.).
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – every year on August 9. Since 1995 this day has been celebrated.
International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People – UN declared decade (10 years) from 1995-2005 of indigenous peoples. On 22 December 2004, the General Assembly of UN adopted a resolution for a Second International Decade, which commenced on 1 January 2005. ECOSOC coordinates the Second Decade, which has five main objectives: 1) Promoting non-discrimination and inclusion of indigenous peoples in the design, implementation and evaluation of international, regional and national processes regarding laws, policies, resources, programmes and projects; 2) Promoting full and effective participation of indigenous peoples in decisions which directly or indirectly affect their lifestyles, traditional lands and territories, their cultural integrity as indigenous peoples with collective rights or any other aspect of their lives, considering the principle of free, prior and informed consent; 3) Redefining development policies that depart from a vision of equity and that are culturally appropriate, including respect for the cultural and linguistic diversity of indigenous peoples; 4) Adopting targeted policies, programmes, projects and budgets for the development of indigenous peoples, including concrete benchmarks, and particular emphasis on indigenous women, children and youth; and 5) Developing strong monitoring mechanisms and enhancing accountability at the international, regional and particularly the national level, regarding the implementation of legal, policy and operational frameworks for the protection of indigenous peoples and the improvement of their lives.
International Development Association (IDA) – the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. Established in 1960. IDA aims to reduce poverty by providing interest-free credits and grants for programs that boost economic growth, reduce inequalities and improve people’s living conditions. IDA complements the World Bank’s other lending arm, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), which serves middle-income countries with capital investment and advisory services. IBRD and IDA share the same staff and headquarters and evaluate projects with the same rigorous standards. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 80 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. It is the single largest source of donor funds for basic social services in the poorest countries. Headquarters in Washington.
International Energy Agency (IEA) – acts as energy policy advisor to 27 member countries (among them Canada, Denmark and the U.S.A.) in their effort to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for their citizens. Founded during the oil crisis of 1973-74, the IEA’s initial role was to co-ordinate measures in times of oil supply emergencies. As energy markets have changed, so has the IEA. Its mandate has broadened to incorporate: energy security, economic development and environmental protection. Current work focuses on climate change policies, market reform, energy technology collaboration and outreach to the rest of the world, especially major consumers and producers of energy like China, India, Russia and the OPEC countries.
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) – founded in 1969 and is an international organisation with more than 500,000 members and a net income of over $ 6,000,000 per year within the U.S.A. alone. IFAW is an animal rights organisation. IFAW’s goal is to stop any, also indigenous peoples’ usage, of wild living animals. IFAW initiated in 1977 the campaigns against hunting of whitecoats and bluebacks (pups of Harp seal and Bearded seal) off the coast of Newfoundland. “From the outset, the founders of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, or IFAW, rejected the notion that the interests of humans and animals were separate. Instead they embraced the understanding that the fate and future of harp seals-and all other animals on Earth-are inextricably linked to our own.” (IFAW Homepage). “Although both Greenpeace and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) knew that the sealing boycott was having an adverse effect on Inuit communities, they chose to refrain from altering their boycott tactics to exempt Inuit communities and allow them to continue selling adult seal skins.” (George Wenzel, 1991). IFAW’s membership application to the IUCN in 1994 was strongly opposed by the Inuit: “We would like to point out once again that organisations applying for membership are obliged to confirm that they "endorse" the principles laid down in the documents "Caring for the Earth", "The World Conservation Strategy" and the "World Charter for Nature".” (ITC & ICC, 1996 to IUCN).
International Fur Trade Federation (IFTF) – an organisation established in 1949. IFTF has 39 member organizations from 32 countries, covering farmers; trappers; auction houses; merchants; brokers; dressers and dyers; manufacturers; wholesalers; marketing, and retailers. IFTF seeks to protect fur trade interests and promote innovation, high standards and a positive factual image of fur and the fur industry worldwide. Further IFTF promotes strict codes of practice that meet or exceed established and accepted standards for animal welfare for both wild and farmed fur. Address in Surrey, England.
International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP) – an international, interdisciplinary science programme dedicated to promoting, catalyzing and coordinating research on the human dimensions of global environmental change. IHDP takes a social science perspective on global change and it works at the interface between science and practice. IHDP is a joint programme of the International Council for Science (ICSU), UNESCO's International Social Science Council (ISSC), and the United Nations University (UNU).
International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) – a Canadian-based NGO, established in 1990. IISD has a diverse team of more than 150 people located in more than 30 countries.
International Labour Organization (ILO) – the ILO was established in 1919 to address social peace: there can be no lasting peace without social justice. Originally, the organisation dealt with indigenous and tribal peoples in their role as workers, primarily in the overseas colonies of the European states. The first convention mentioning indigenous peoples was adopted in 1930 as Convention No. 29 on Forced Labour. When the UN was created in 1945, the ILO widened its examination of indigenous workers, to address issues pertaining to indigenous and tribal peoples in general. Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (ILO No. 169).
International law – the rules of International law are generally observed and regarded as binding in the relations between nations. International Court of Justice (ICJ).
International Maritime Organization (IMO) – in 1948 an international conference in Geneva adopted a convention formally establishing the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO). In 1982 the organization changed its name to IMO. The purposes of the IMO, as summarized by Article 1(a) is “to provide machinery for cooperation among Governments in the field of governmental regulation and practices relating to technical matters of all kinds affecting shipping engaged in international trade; to encourage and facilitate the general adoption of the highest practicable standards in matters concerning maritime safety, efficiency of navigation and prevention and control of marine pollution from ships.” IMO’s first task was to adopt a new version of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The growth in the amount of oil being transported by sea and in the size of oil tankers became of particular concern. IMO introduced a series of measures designed to prevent tanker accidents and to minimize their consequences. The most important of all the measures was the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto MARPOL 73/78. It covers not only accidental and operational oil pollution but also pollution by chemicals, goods in packaged form, sewage, garbage and air pollution.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) an international organization of 185 member countries. It was established to promote international monetary cooperation, exchange stability, and orderly exchange arrangements; to foster economic growth and high levels of employment; and to provide temporary financial assistance to countries to help ease balance of payments adjustment. “The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues recommends that the agencies and bodies of the United Nations, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund rethink the concept of development with the full participation of indigenous peoples in development processes, taking into account the rights of the indigenous peoples and the practices of their traditional knowledge.” (Second Session, 2003).
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – an UN agency for international standardisation of weights, measures, and industrial norms. ISO-TC (Technical Committee) 191 has to provide recommendations for internationally acceptable standards for humane traps.
International Polar Years (IPY) – the International Polar Year is a large scientific programme focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic from March 2007 to March 2009. The IPY is organised through the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The first International Polar Year (1882-1883): The idea of International Polar Years was the inspiration of the Austrian explorer and naval officer Lt. Karl Weyprecht who was a scientist and co-commander of the Austro-Hungarian Polar Expedition of 1872-74. The second was in 1932-3, and the third in 1957-8. In order to have full and equal coverage of both the Arctic and the Antarctic, IPY 2007-8 covers two full annual cycles from March 2007 to March 2009 and will involve more than 200 projects, with thousands of scientists from over 60 nations examining a wide range of physical, biological and social research topics.
International Training Center of Indigenous Peoples (ITCIP) – a training centre that is based in Greenland, and founded in 1997. Its purpose is to establish workshops and seminars and technical training for indigenous peoples from around the world on various topics related to Indigenous Rights and International Instruments.