The World Charter for Nature proclaims general principles of conservation `by which all human conduct affecting nature is to be guided and judged' (Preamble). The principles call for: nature to be respected and its essential processes not to be impaired; the maintenance of genetic viability and protection of habitats; special protection for unique areas; management of ecosystems and organisms to achieve and maintain `optimum sustainable productivity'; and the protection of nature against destruction caused by warfare and hostilities.

CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1973 at a meeting of members of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival and it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 33,000 species of animals and plants.

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea Convention and the Law of the Sea Treaty (or LOST by its critics), is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III), which took place from 1973 through 1982. The Law of the Sea Convention defines the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources.