Depositary
STATUS AS AT : 22-11-2024 04:15:25 EDT
CHAPTER XXVI
DISARMAMENT
1. Convention on the prohibition of military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques
New York, 10 December 1976
Entry into force
:
5 October 1978, in accordance with article IX(3).
Registration :
5 October 1978, No. 17119
Status :
Signatories : 48. Parties : 78
Text : Certified true copy
United Nations, Treaty Series , vol. 1108, p. 151 and depositary notification C.N.263.1978.TREATIES-12 of 27 October 1978 (rectification of the English text).
Note :
The Convention was approved by the General Assembly of the United Nations in its resolution 31/721 of 10 December 1976.  In application of paragraph 2 of the said resolution, the Secretary-General decided to open the Convention for signature and ratification by States from 18 to 31 May 1977 at Geneva, Switzerland. Subsequently, the Convention was transmitted to the Headquarters of the Organization of the United Nations at New York, where it was open for signature by States until 4 October 1978.
Participant
 Signature
 Ratification, Accession(a), Succession(d)
Afghanistan
   22 Oct 1985 a
Algeria
   19 Dec 1991 a
Antigua and Barbuda
   25 Oct 1988 d
Argentina
   20 Mar 1987 a
Armenia
   15 May 2002 a
Australia
 31 May 1978
 7 Sep 1984
Austria
   17 Jan 1990 a
Bangladesh
    3 Oct 1979 a
Belarus
 18 May 1977
 7 Jun 1978
Belgium
 18 May 1977
12 Jul 1982
Benin
 10 Jun 1977
30 Jun 1986
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
 18 May 1977
 
Brazil
  9 Nov 1977
12 Oct 1984
Bulgaria
 18 May 1977
31 May 1978
Cabo Verde
    3 Oct 1979 a
Cameroon
   18 Apr 2011 a
Canada
 18 May 1977
11 Jun 1981
Chile
   26 Apr 1994 a
China 2
   8 Jun 2005 a
Costa Rica
    7 Feb 1996 a
Cuba
 23 Sep 1977
10 Apr 1978
Cyprus
  7 Oct 1977
12 Apr 1978
Czech Republic 3
  22 Feb 1993 d
Democratic People's Republic of Korea
    8 Nov 1984 a
Democratic Republic of the Congo
 28 Feb 1978
 
Denmark
 18 May 1977
19 Apr 1978
Dominica
    9 Nov 1992 d
Egypt
    1 Apr 1982 a
Estonia
   14 Apr 2011 a
Ethiopia
 18 May 1977
 
Finland
 18 May 1977
12 May 1978
Germany 4, 5
18 May 1977
24 May 1983
Ghana
 21 Mar 1978
22 Jun 1978
Greece
   23 Aug 1983 a
Guatemala
   21 Mar 1988 a
Holy See
 27 May 1977
 
Honduras
   16 Aug 2010 a
Hungary
 18 May 1977
19 Apr 1978
Iceland
 18 May 1977
 
India
 15 Dec 1977
15 Dec 1978
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
 18 May 1977
 
Iraq
 15 Aug 1977
 
Ireland
 18 May 1977
16 Dec 1982
Italy
 18 May 1977
27 Nov 1981
Japan
    9 Jun 1982 a
Kazakhstan
   25 Apr 2005 a
Kuwait
    2 Jan 1980 a
Kyrgyzstan
   15 Jun 2015 a
Lao People's Democratic Republic
 13 Apr 1978
 5 Oct 1978
Lebanon
 18 May 1977
 
Liberia
 18 May 1977
 
Lithuania
   16 Apr 2002 a
Luxembourg
 18 May 1977
 
Malawi
    5 Oct 1978 a
Mauritius
    9 Dec 1992 a
Mongolia
 18 May 1977
19 May 1978
Morocco
 18 May 1977
 
Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 6
18 May 1977
15 Apr 1983
New Zealand 7
   7 Sep 1984 a
Nicaragua
 11 Aug 1977
 6 Sep 2007
Niger
   17 Feb 1993 a
Norway
 18 May 1977
15 Feb 1979
Pakistan
   27 Feb 1986 a
Panama
   13 May 2003 a
Papua New Guinea
   28 Oct 1980 a
Poland
 18 May 1977
 8 Jun 1978
Portugal
 18 May 1977
 
Republic of Korea
    2 Dec 1986 a
Romania
 18 May 1977
 6 May 1983
Russian Federation
 18 May 1977
30 May 1978
Sao Tome and Principe
    5 Oct 1979 a
Sierra Leone
 12 Apr 1978
 
Slovakia 3
  28 May 1993 d
Slovenia
   20 Apr 2005 a
Solomon Islands
   19 Jun 1981 d
Spain
 18 May 1977
19 Jul 1978
Sri Lanka
  8 Jun 1977
25 Apr 1978
St. Lucia
   27 May 1993 d
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
   27 Apr 1999 d
State of Palestine
   29 Dec 2017 a
Sweden
   27 Apr 1984 a
Switzerland
    5 Aug 1988 a
Syrian Arab Republic
  4 Aug 1977
 
Tajikistan
   12 Oct 1999 a
Tunisia
 11 May 1978
11 May 1978
Türkiye
 18 May 1977
 
Uganda
 18 May 1977
 
Ukraine
 18 May 1977
13 Jun 1978
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
 18 May 1977
16 May 1978
United States of America
 18 May 1977
17 Jan 1980
Uruguay
   16 Sep 1993 a
Uzbekistan
   26 May 1993 a
Viet Nam
   26 Aug 1980 a
Yemen 8
18 May 1977
20 Jul 1977
Declarations and Reservations
(Unless otherwise indicated, the declarations and reservations were made
upon ratification, accession or succession.)
Argentina 9

       The Argentine Republic interprets the terms "widespread, long-lasting or severe effects" in article I, paragraph 1, of the Convention in accordance with the definitions agreed upon in the understanding on that article. It likewise interprets articles II, III and VIII in accordance with the relevant understandings.
Austria

Reservation:

       "Considering the obligations resulting from its status as a permanently neutral state, the Republic of Austria declares a reservation to the effect that its co-operation within the frame work of this Convention cannot exceed the limits determined by the Status of permanent neutrality and membership with the United Nations."
Germany 5

Upon signature:

       "With the proviso that the correct designation of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Russian language is `Federativnuju Respubliku Germaniju'."

16 June 1977


       "The correct designation of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Russian language following the preposition `sa' in the Russian text was spelled out in the afore-mentioned proviso as `Federativnuju Respubliku Germaniju'."
Guatemala

Reservation:

       Guatemala accepts the text of article III, on condition that the use of environmental modification techniques for peaceful purposes does not adversely affect its territory or the use of its natural resources.
Kuwait 10

Reservation:

       This Convention binds the State of Kuwait only towards States Parties thereto. Its obligatory character shall  ipso facto  terminate with respect to any hostile state which does not abide by the prohibition contained therein.

Understanding:

       "It is understood that accession to the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or any other hostile use of Environmental Modification Techniques, done in Geneva, 1977, does not mean in any way recognition of Israel by the State of Kuwait.  Furthermore, no treaty relation will arise between the State of Kuwait and Israel."
Netherlands (Kingdom of the)

Declaration:

       "The Kingdom of the Netherlands accepts the obligations laid down in article 1 of the said Convention as extending to states which are not a party to the Convention and which act in conformity with article 1 of the Convention."
New Zealand

       "The Government of New Zealand hereby declares its interpretation that nothing in the Convention detracts from or limits the obligations of States to refrain from military or any other hostile use of environmental modification techniques which are contrary to international law".
Republic of Korea

       "It is the understanding of the Government of the Republic of Korea that any technique for deliberately changing the natural state of rivers falls within the meaning of the term 'environmental modification techniques' as defined in article II of the Convention.

       "It is further understood that military or any other hostile use of such techniques, which could cause flooding, inundation, reduction in the water-level, drying up, destruction of hydrotechnical installations or other harmful consequences, comes within the scope of the Convention, provided it meets the criteria set out in article I therefore."
Switzerland

       Because of the obligation incumbent upon it by virtue of its status of perpetual neutrality, Switzerland must make a general reservation specifying that its co-operation in the framework of this Convention cannot go beyond the limits imposed by this status. This reservation refers, in particular, to article V, paragraph 5, of the Convention, and to any similar clause which may replace or supplement this provision in the Convention (or in any other arrangement).
Türkiye

Upon signature:

Interpretative statement:

       "In the opinion of the Turkish Government the terms ‘wide- spread’, ‘long lasting’ and ‘severe effects’ contained in the Con- vention need to be clearly defined. So long as this clarification is not made the Government of Turkey will be compelled to in- terpret itself the terms in question and consequently it reserves the right to do so as and when required.

       "Furthermore, the Government of Turkey believes that the difference between `military or any other hostile purposes' and `peaceful purposes' should be more clearly defined so as to pre- vent subjective evaluations."
Territorial Application
Participant
 Date of receipt of the notification
 Territories
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 11 16 May 1978 United Kingdom Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in the Island of Cyprus, Association of Caribbean States, Brunei, Solomon Islands and United Kingdom Territories
End Note
1 Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-first Session, Supplement No. 39 (A/31/39), p. 36.
2With the following declaration with respect of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region:
In accordance with the provisions of Article 153 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and Article 138 of the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the Government of the People's Republic of China decides that the Convention shall apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
3Czechoslovakia had signed and ratified the Convention on 18 May 1977 and 12 May 1978, respectively. See also note 1 under “Czech Republic” and note 1 under “Slovakia” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
4See note 1 under “Germany” regarding Berlin (West) in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
5The German Democratic Republic had signed and ratified the Convention on 18 May 1977 and 25 May 1978, respectively. See also note 2 under “Germany” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
6For the Kingdom in Europe and the Netherlands Antilles. See also note 1 under “Netherlands” regarding Aruba/Netherlands Antilles in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
7The accession shall also apply to the Cook Islands and Niue.
8Democratic Yemen had acceded to the Convention on 12 June 1979. See also note 1 under “Yemen” in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
9The Government of Argentina has specified that the understandings referred to in the declaration are the Understandings adopted as part of the report of the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament to the General Assembly at its thirty-first session, published under the symbol A/31/27. [Report of the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament to the General Assembly (Volume I, Annex I).]
10On 23 June 1980, the Secretary-General received from the Government of Israel the following communication concerning the above-mentioned understanding:
"The Government of Israel has noted the political character of the statement made by the Government of Kuwait. In the view of the Government of Israel, this Convention is not the proper place for making such political pronouncements.  Moreover, the said declaration cannot in any way affect whatever obligations are binding upon Kuwait, under general international law or under particular conventions.  Insofar as concerns the substance of the matter, the Government of Israel will adopt towards the Government of Kuwait an attitude of complete reciprocity."
11See note 2 under “United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” regarding Hong Kong in the “Historical Information” section in the front matter of this volume.
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