Sust

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ing

life

on

Ear

th How the Convention on Biological Diversity promotes

nature and human well-being

Secretariat of the Conventionon Biological Diversity

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Sustaining life on Earth

How the Convention on Biological Diversity promotes

nature and human well-being

April 2000

© Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, April 2000ISBN 92-807-1904-1

Illustrations by Jacques Goldstyn.Conception and design by CRI Communications

Published by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological DiversityWith the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) andthe financial support of the Governement of the United Kingdom

Reproduction of this publication for educational purpose or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged.

© Photographs UNEP and CGIAR.Digital imagery ® copyright 1999 PhotoDisc, Inc.

Table of contents

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .i

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ii

Biodiversity – the web of life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

We are changing life on earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3The value of biodiversityBiodiversity under threat

An agreement for action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7A new philosophy

National action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9SurveysConservation and sustainable useReporting

International action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Thematic programmes and "cross-cutting" issuesSharing the benefits of genetic resourcesTraditional knowledgeFinancial and technical supportThe Biosafety Protocol

What are the next steps? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Promoting the long termInformation, education and trainingWhat can I do about biodiversity?

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Preface

In a world of increasing globalization and environmental degradation, management of itsmost precious living resource, biological diversity, is one of the most important and criticalchallenges facing humankind today.

Biological diversity is the resource upon which families, communities, nations and futuregenerations depend. It is the link between organisms, binding each into an interdependentcommunity or ecosystem in which all living creatures have their place and role. It is thevery web of life.

Despite its importance, our heedless actions are eroding this resource at a perilous rate.The world is impoverished, even threatened, by this loss. Every gene, species andecosystem lost erodes the planet’s ability to cope with change. For the poorest in the worldthis flexibility is a matter of life and death. For all of humankind it diminishes the qualityof life.

A major cause of this erosion is that individuals, communities and nations take the resourcefor granted. There is an assumption, based on thousands of years of development, thatliving resources and biological diversity are limitless. Despite isolated instances of wherecommunities, even civilizations, have ignored this responsibility and suffered dramaticallyas a result, for most of us the idea that we might be reaching the limits of its endurance isbeyond our experience and comprehension. An important step to address our overuse ofthe biosphere lies in educating people. An education that empowers and enables people toseek collective ways to overcome current destructive trends is critical component of anysuccessful strategy for achieving a sustainable future.

The Convention represents an important part of the effort to address this issue. Yet fewpeople understand what is the term "biodiversity" actually means, let alone the goals andprocesses of the Convention. This is part due to the fact that we have not used languagethat is relevant or intelligible to the public: we have not explained ourselves clearlyenough. Given the important role that the public has in achieving the aims of theConvention this is a significant barrier to its implementation. I am confident this Guidewill make an important contribution addressing this barrier by explaining the somewhatarcane practices and terminology of this important endeavor in a simple and clear way.

On a more personal note, as people and the public have been at the centre of my efforts to build a better future I am especially pleased to have the chance to support this Guide.

Hamdallah ZedanExecutive SecretaryCBD

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Foreword

The natural environment provides the basic conditions without which humanity could not survive.

Life on the blue planet is contained within the biosphere, a thin and irregular envelope aroundthe Earth’s surface, just a few kilometres deep around the radius of the globe. Here, ecosystemspurify the air and the water that are the basis of life. They stabilise and moderate the Earth’sclimate. Soil fertility is renewed, nutrients are cycled and plants are pollinated.

Although scientists are now able to appreciate the complexity of this web of interactingnatural processes, we are still a very long way from understanding how they all fit together.What we do know is that if any part of the web suffers breaks down, the future of life on theplanet will be at risk.

Biological diversity – the variability of life on Earth – is the key to the ability of the biosphereto continue providing us with these ecological goods and services and thus is our species’ lifeassurance policy.

However, as a species we are degrading, and in some cases destroying, the ability of biologicaldiversity to continue performing these services. The 20th century saw a fourfold increase inhuman numbers and an eighteen-fold growth in world economic output. With these cameunsustainable patterns of consumption and the use of environmentally unsound technologies.There are now more than six billion of us and we are placing unprecedented strains on theplanet’s ability to cope. Worse, the fruits of this growth are extremely unequally divided.Whilst some enjoy better standards of living than at any time in history, nearly half the world’spopulation is unjustifiably poor, making do on less than $2 a day. Worse still, the poor sufferdisproportionately from the damage done to the environment.

In the 21st century, we will stand or fall on our ability to collectively eradicate poverty,guarantee human rights and ensure an environmentally sustainable future. Freedom from want,freedom from fear and sustaining our future are all part of the same equation.

The world community has recognised this. Over the last ten years the United Nations hasconvened a series of summit meetings and negotiations to adopt legal instruments andprogrammes for action on key issues: education, the rights of children, environment anddevelopment, human rights, population and development, social development, theadvancement of women, human settlements and food security. The legal and policyinstruments are, by and large, in place. What is needed now is to ensure that they areimplemented.

The Convention on Biological Diversity is one of these instruments. The Convention wasopened for signature at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development inRio de Janeiro in June 1992. It came into force at the end of 1993 and has now been ratified bythe overwhelming majority of countries, for whom it is now a legally binding commitment toconserve biological diversity, to sustainably use its components and to share equitably thebenefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

This Guide provides an introduction to the Convention, the issues it addresses and the actionthat needs to be taken. Action by Governments alone will not be enough. We will reverse thetrends of environmental degradation and guarantee environmental sustainability for ourselvesand for future generations only when we all ensure that our actions and behaviour, individuallyand collectively, are sustainable.

I hope you will read this Guide with this in mind and urge you, your family and yourcommunity to take an active part in achieving the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Klaus TöpferExecutive DirectorUNEP

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1 - We are changing life on Earth

The rich tapestry of life onour planet is the outcome ofover 3.5 billion years ofevolutionary history. It hasbeen shaped by forces suchas changes in the planet’scrust, ice ages, fire, andinteraction among species.

Now, it is increasingly beingaltered by humans. From thedawn of agriculture, some10,000 years ago, throughthe Industrial Revolution ofthe past three centuries, wehave reshaped ourlandscapes on an ever-largerand lasting scale. We havemoved from hacking downtrees with stone tools toliterally moving mountainsto mine the Earth’sresources. Old ways ofharvesting are beingreplaced by more intensivetechnologies, often withoutcontrols to prevent over-harvesting. For example,fisheries that have fedcommunities for centurieshave been depleted in a fewyears by huge, sonar-guidedships using nets big enoughto swallow a dozen jumbojets at a time. By consumingever more of nature’sresources, we have gainedmore abundant food andbetter shelter, sanitation,and health care, but thesegains are often accompaniedby increasing environmentaldegradation that may befollowed by declines in localeconomies and the societiesthey supported.

In 1999, the world’spopulation hit 6 billion.United Nations experts

Biodiversity – the web of life

Biological diversity – or biodiversity – is the term given tothe variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms.The biodiversity we see today is the fruit of billions of yearsof evolution, shaped by natural processes and, increasingly,by the influence of humans. It forms the web of life ofwhich we are an integral part and upon which we so fullydepend.

This diversity is often understood in terms of the widevariety of plants, animals and microorganisms. So far, about1.75 million species have been identified, mostly smallcreatures such as insects. Scientists reckon that there areactually about 13 million species, though estimates rangefrom 3 to 100 million.

Biodiversity also includes genetic differences within eachspecies – for example, between varieties of crops and breedsof livestock. Chromosomes, genes, and DNA – the buildingblocks of life – determine the uniqueness of each individualand each species.

Yet another aspect of biodiversity is the variety ofecosystems such as those that occur in deserts, forests,wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agriculturallandscapes. In each ecosystem, living creatures, includinghumans, form a community, interacting with one another

and with the air, water, and soil around them.

It is the combination of life formsand their interactions with

each other and with the restof the environment that

has made Earth auniquely habitableplace for humans.Biodiversity providesa large number ofgoods and servicesthat sustain our lives.

At the 1992 Earth Summitin Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for "sustainabledevelopment" – meeting our needs while ensuringthat we leave a healthy andviable world for futuregenerations. One of the keyagreements adopted at Riowas the Convention onBiological Diversity. Thispact among the vastmajority of the world’sgovernments sets outcommitments formaintaining the world’secological underpinnings aswe go about the business ofeconomic development.The Convention establishesthree main goals: theconservation of biologicaldiversity, the sustainable useof its components, and thefair and equitable sharing ofthe benefits from the use ofgenetic resources.

This booklet looks at theimportance of biologicaldiversity for the health ofpeople and the planet. Itexplains the role of theConvention in protectingthis biodiversity andensuring that it is used forthe benefit of all.

predict the world will haveto find resources for apopulation of 9 billionpeople in 50 years. Yet our demands on the world’s naturalresources are growing even faster than our numbers: since1950, the population has more than doubled, but the globaleconomy has quintupled. And the benefits are not equallyspread: most of the economic growth has occurred in arelatively few industrialized countries.

At the same time, our settlement patterns are changing ourrelationship with the environment. Nearly half the world’speople live in towns and cities. For many people, natureseems remote from their everyday lives. More and morepeople associate food with stores, rather than with theirnatural source.

The value ofbiodiversityProtecting biodiversity is inour self-interest. Biologicalresources are the pillars uponwhich we build civilizations.Nature’s products supportsuch diverse industries asagriculture, cosmetics,pharmaceuticals, pulp andpaper, horticulture,construction and wastetreatment. The loss ofbiodiversity threatens ourfood supplies, opportunitiesfor recreation and tourism,and sources of wood,medicines and energy. It also interferes with essentialecological functions.

Our need for pieces ofnature we once ignored isoften important andunpredictable. Time aftertime we have rushed back to nature’s cupboard forcures to illnesses or forinfusions of tough genesfrom wild plants to save ourcrops from pest outbreaks.What’s more, the vast

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And, about 30% of breeds ofthe main farm animalspecies are currently at highrisk of extinction.

While the loss of individualspecies catches ourattention, it is thefragmentation, degradation,and outright loss of forests,wetlands, coral reefs, andother ecosystems that posesthe gravest threat tobiological diversity. Forestsare home to much of theknown terrestrialbiodiversity, but about 45per cent of the Earth’soriginal forests are gone,cleared mostly during thepast century. Despite someregrowth, the world’s totalforests are still shrinkingrapidly, particularly in thetropics. Up to 10 per cent ofcoral reefs – among therichest ecosystems – havebeen destroyed, and onethird of the remainder facecollapse over the next 10 to20 years. Coastal mangroves,

a vital nursery habitat forcountless species, are alsovulnerable, with half already gone.

Global atmosphericchanges, such as ozonedepletion and climatechange, only add to thestress. A thinner ozone layerlets more ultraviolet-Bradiation reach the Earth’ssurface where it damagesliving tissue. Globalwarming is already changinghabitats and the distributionof species. Scientists warnthat even a one-degreeincrease in the averageglobal temperature, if itcomes rapidly, will pushmany species over the brink.Our food production systemscould also be seriouslydisrupted.

The loss of biodiversityoften reduces theproductivity of ecosystems,thereby shrinking nature’sbasket of goods and services,

"Goods and Services" provided by ecosystems include:• Provision of food, fuel and fibre • Provision of shelter and building materials• Purification of air and water• Detoxification and decomposition of wastes• Stabilization and moderation of the Earth's climate• Moderation of floods, droughts, temperature extremes and the forces of wind• Generation and renewal of soil fertility, including nutrient cycling• Pollination of plants, including many crops• Control of pests and diseases• Maintenance of genetic resources as key inputs to crop varieties and

livestock breeds, medicines, and other products• Cultural and aesthetic benefits • Ability to adapt to change

array of interactions among the various components of biodiversity makes the planethabitable for all species, including humans. Our personal health, and the health of oureconomy and human society, depends on the continuous supply of various ecologicalservices that would be extremely costly or impossible to replace. These natural services areso varied as to be almost infinite. For example, it would be impractical to replace, to anylarge extent, services such as pest control performed by various creatures feeding on oneanother, or pollination performed by insects and birds going about their everyday business.

Biodiversity under threatWhen most people think ofthe dangers besetting thenatural world, they think ofthe threat to other creatures.Declines in the numbers ofsuch charismatic animals aspandas, tigers, elephants,whales, and various speciesof birds, have drawn worldattention to the problem ofspecies at risk. Species havebeen disappearing at 50-100times the natural rate, andthis is predicted to risedramatically. Based oncurrent trends, an estimated34,000 plant and 5,200animal species – includingone in eight of the world’sbird species – faceextinction.

For thousands of years wehave been developing a vastarray of domesticated plantsand animals important forfood. But this treasurehouse is shrinking asmodern commercialagriculture focuses onrelatively few crop varieties.

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from which we constantly draw. It destabilizes ecosystems,and weakens their ability to deal with natural disasters suchas floods, droughts, and hurricanes, and with human-causedstresses, such as pollution and climate change. Already, weare spending huge sums in response to flood and stormdamage exacerbated by deforestation; such damage isexpected to increase due to global warming.

The reduction in biodiversity also hurts us in other ways.Our cultural identity is deeply rooted in our biologicalenvironment. Plants and animals are symbols of our world,preserved in flags, sculptures, and other images that defineus and our societies. We draw inspiration just from looking at nature’s beauty and power.

While loss of species has always occurred as a naturalphenomenon, the pace of extinction has accelerateddramatically as a result of human activity. Ecosystems arebeing fragmented or eliminated, and innumerable speciesare in decline or already extinct. We are creating thegreatest extinction crisis since the natural disaster thatwiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Theseextinctions are irreversible and, given our dependence onfood crops, medicines and other biological resources, pose athreat to our own well-being. It is reckless if not downrightdangerous to keep chipping away at our life support system.It is unethical to drive other forms of life to extinction, andthereby deprive present and future generations of optionsfor their survival and development.

Can we save the world’s ecosystems, and with them thespecies we value and the other millions of species, some ofwhich may produce the foods and medicines of tomorrow?The answer will lie in our ability to bring our demands intoline with nature’s ability to produce what we need and tosafely absorb what we throw away. ]

2While concern for the environment is constant in history,heightened concern about environmental destruction andloss of species and ecosystems in the seventies led toconcerted action.

In 1972, the United Nations Conference on the HumanEnvironment (Stockholm) resolved to establish the UnitedNations Environment Programme (UNEP). Governmentssigned a number of regional and international agreements totackle specific issues, such as protecting wetlands andregulating the international trade in endangered species.These agreements, along with controls on toxic chemicalsand pollution, have helped to slow the tide of destructionbut have not reversed it. For example, an international ban and restrictions on the taking and selling of certainanimals and plants have helped to reduce over-harvestingand poaching.

In addition, many endangered species survive in zoos andbotanical gardens, and key ecosystems are preserved throughthe adoption of protective measures. However, these arestopgap actions. The long-term viability of species andecosystems depends on their being free to evolve in naturalconditions. This means that humans have to learn how touse biological resources in a way that minimizes theirdepletion. The challenge is to find economic policies thatmotivate conservation and sustainable use by creating

financial incentives for those who wouldotherwise over-use ordamage the resource.

In 1987, the WorldCommission onEnvironment andDevelopment (theBrundtland Commission)concluded that economicdevelopment must becomeless ecologically destructive.In its landmark report, OurCommon Future, it saidthat: "Humanity has theability to make developmentsustainable – to ensure thatit meets needs of the presentwithout compromising theability of future generationsto meet their own needs". Italso called for "a new era ofenvironmentally soundeconomic development".

2 – An agreement for action

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33 - National action

The Convention onBiological Diversity, as aninternational treaty,identifies a commonproblem, sets overall goalsand policies and generalobligations, and organizestechnical and financialcooperation. However, theresponsibility for achievingits goals rests largely withthe countries themselves.

Private companies,landowners, fishermen, andfarmers take most of theactions that affectbiodiversity. Governmentsneed to provide the criticalrole of leadership,particularly by setting rulesthat guide the use of naturalresources, and by protectingbiodiversity where theyhave direct control over theland and water.

Under the Convention,governments undertake toconserve and sustainably usebiodiversity. They arerequired to develop nationalbiodiversity strategies andaction plans, and tointegrate these into broadernational plans for

environment and development. This is particularlyimportant for such sectors as forestry, agriculture, fisheries,energy, transportation and urban planning. Other treatycommitments include:

• Identifying and monitoring the important components of biological diversity that need to be conserved and used sustainably.

• Establishing protected areas to conserve biologicaldiversity while promoting environmentally sounddevelopment around these areas.

• Rehabilitating and restoring degraded ecosystems and promoting the recovery of threatened species in collaboration with local residents.

• Respecting, preserving and maintaining traditionalknowledge of the sustainable use of biological diversitywith the involvement of indigenous peoples and local communities.

• Preventing the introduction of, controlling, anderadicating alien species that could threaten ecosystems,habitats or species.

• Controlling the risks posed by organisms modified by biotechnology.

• Promoting public participation, particularly when it comes to assessing the environmental impacts ofdevelopment projects that threaten biological diversity.

• Educating people and raising awareness about theimportance of biological diversity and the need to conserve it.

• Reporting on how each country is meeting its biodiversity goals.

Some of the many issues dealt with under the Convention include:• Measures and incentives for the conservation and

sustainable use of biological diversity.• Regulated access to genetic resources.• Access to and transfer of technology,

including biotechnology.• Technical and scientific cooperation.• Impact assessment.• Education and public awareness.• Provision of financial resources.• National reporting on efforts to implement

treaty commitments.

in international law. It recognizes – for the first time – thatthe conservation of biological diversity is "a commonconcern of humankind" and is an integral part of thedevelopment process. The agreement covers all ecosystems,species, and genetic resources. It links traditionalconservation efforts to the economic goal of usingbiological resources sustainably. It sets principles for the fairand equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use ofgenetic resources, notably those destined for commercialuse. It also covers the rapidly expanding field ofbiotechnology, addressing technology development andtransfer, benefit-sharing and biosafety. Importantly, theConvention is legally binding; countries that join it areobliged to implement its provisions.

The Convention reminds decision-makers that naturalresources are not infinite and sets out a new philosophy forthe 21st century, that of sustainable use. While pastconservation efforts were aimed at protecting particularspecies and habitats, the Convention recognizes thatecosystems, species and genes must be used for the benefitof humans. However, this should be done in a way and at arate that does not lead to the long-term decline ofbiological diversity.

The Convention also offers decision-makers guidancebased on the precautionary principle that where there is a threat of significant reduction or loss of biologicaldiversity, lack of full scientific certainty should not beused as a reason for postponing measures to avoid orminimize such a threat.

The Convention acknowledges that substantial investmentsare required to conserve biological diversity. It argues,however, that conservation will bring us significantenvironmental, economic and social benefits in return.

A new philosophyIn 1992, the largest-evermeeting of world leaderstook place at the UnitedNations Conference onEnvironment andDevelopment in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil. An historicset of agreements was signedat the "Earth Summit",including two bindingagreements, the Conventionon Climate Change, whichtargets industrial and otheremissions of greenhousegases such as carbon dioxide,and the Convention onBiological Diversity, the firstglobal agreement on theconservation and sustainableuse of biological diversity.The biodiversity treatygained rapid and widespreadacceptance. Over 150governments signed thedocument at the Rioconference, and since thenmore than 175 countrieshave ratified the agreement.

The Convention has threemain goals:

• The conservation of biodiversity,

• Sustainable use of thecomponents of biodiversity,

and

• Sharing the benefitsarising from the commercialand other utilization ofgenetic resources in a fairand equitable way.

The Convention iscomprehensive in its goals,and deals with an issue sovital to humanity’s future,that it stands as a landmark

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in the rice paddies, and thecrop itself – to improve theircrop management practices.This way they haveincreased their crop yields,while at the same timealmost eliminatinginsecticide use with positivebenefits in terms ofenvironmental and humanhealth. About 2 millionfarmers have benefited fromthis approach.

• In Tanzania, problemssurrounding the sustainableuse of Lake Manyara, a largefreshwater lake, arosefollowing increased usage inrecent decades. Theformation of the LakeManyara Biosphere Reserveto combine bothconservation of the Lakeand surrounding high valueforests with sustainable useof the wetlands area andlow-input agriculture hasbrought together key usersto set management goals.The Biosphere Reserve hasfostered studies for thesustainable management ofthe wetlands, includingmonitoring the groundwater and the chemistry ofthe escarpment water source.

• Clayoquot Sound on thewestern coast of VancouverIsland, Canada,encompasses forests andmarine and coastal systems.The establishment ofadaptive management toimplement the ecosystemapproach at the local level is currently underdevelopment with theinvolvement of indigenouscommunities, with a view to

managers who maintain orincrease the area of forestwithin their properties.

• In different parts of theworld, farmers are raisingcrops within mixedecosystems. In Mexico, theyare growing "shade coffee,"putting coffee trees in amixed tropical forest ratherthan in monocultureplantations that reducebiodiversity. These farmersthen rely entirely on naturalpredators common to anintact ecosystem rather thanon chemical pesticides.

• Tourists, attracted in largenumbers by the spectacularbeauty of marine andcoastal diversity of theSoufrière area of St. Lucia,had a negative impact onthe age-old and thrivingfishing industry. In 1992,several institutions joinedwith fishers and othergroups with an interest inconservation andsustainable management ofthe resources and, together,established the SoufrièreMarine Management Area.Within this framework,problems are dealt with on aparticipatory basis with theinvolvement of allstakeholders.

• Through weekly "farmerfield schools," rice farmersin several Asian countrieshave developed theirunderstanding of thefunctioning of the tropicalrice ecosystem – includingthe interactions betweeninsect pests of rice, theirnatural enemies, fish farmed

SurveysOne of the first steps towards a successful nationalbiodiversity strategy is to conduct surveys to find out whatbiodiversity exists, its value and importance, and what isendangered. On the basis of these survey results,governments can set measurable targets for conservationand sustainable use. National strategies and programmesneed to be developed or adapted to meet these targets.

Conservation and sustainable useThe conservation of each country’s biological diversity canbe achieved in various ways. "In-situ" conservation – theprimary means of conservation – focuses on conservinggenes, species, and ecosystems in their natural surroundings,for example by establishing protected areas, rehabilitatingdegraded ecosystems, and adopting legislation to protectthreatened species. "Ex-situ" conservation uses zoos,botanical gardens and gene banks to conserve species.

Promoting the sustainable use of biodiversity will be ofgrowing importance for maintaining biodiversity in theyears and decades to come. Under the Convention, the"ecosystem approach to the conservation and sustainableuse of biodiversity" is being used as a framework for action,in which all the goods and services provided by thebiodiversity in ecosystems are considered. The Conventionis promoting activities to ensure that everyone benefits fromsuch goods and services in an equitable way.

There are many examples ofinitiatives to integrate theobjectives of conservationand sustainable use:

• In 1994, Uganda adopteda programme under whichprotected wildlife areasshared part of their tourismrevenues with local people.This approach is now beingused in several Africancountries.

• In recognition of theenvironmental services thatforests provide to the nation,Costa Rica’s 1996 ForestryLaw includes provisions tocompensate privatelandowners and forest

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44 - International action

The Convention’s successdepends on the combinedefforts of the world’snations. The responsibilityto implement theConvention lies with theindividual countries and, toa large extent, compliancewill depend on informedself-interest and peerpressure from othercountries and from public opinion.

The Convention has created a global forum – actually a series ofmeetings – where govern-ments, non-governmentalorganizations, academics,the private sector, and otherinterested groups orindividuals share ideas andcompare strategies.

The Convention’s ultimateauthority is the Conferenceof the Parties (COP),consisting of allgovernments (and regionaleconomic integrationorganizations) that have

ratified the treaty. Thisgoverning body reviewsprogress under theConvention, identifies newpriorities, and sets workplans for members. TheCOP can also makeamendments to theConvention, create expertadvisory bodies, reviewprogress reports by membernations, and collaboratewith other internationalorganizations andagreements.

The Conference of theParties can rely on expertiseand support from severalother bodies that areestablished by theConvention:

• The Subsidiary Body onScientific, Technical andTechnological Advice(SBSTTA). The SBSTTA isa committee composed ofexperts from membergovernments competent inrelevant fields. It plays a keyrole in making

recommendations to theCOP on scientific andtechnical issues.

• The Clearing HouseMechanism. This Internet-based network promotestechnical and scientificcooperation and theexchange of information.

• The Secretariat. Based inMontreal, it is linked tothe United NationsEnvironment Programme.Its main functions are toorganize meetings, draftdocuments, assist membergovernments in theimplementation of theprogramme of work,coordinate with otherinternational organizations,and collect and disseminateinformation.

In addition, the COPestablishes ad hoccommittees or mechanismsas it sees fit. For example, itcreated a Working Group onBiosafety that met from1996 to 1999 and a WorkingGroup on the knowledge ofindigenous and localcommunities.

ensuring rational use of theforest and marine resources.

• Sian Ka'an BiosphereReserve in Mexico has greatcultural value with its 23recorded Mayan and otherarchaeological sites whilealso being the home of some800 people, mainly ofMayan descent. The reserveforms part of the extensivebarrier reef system along theeastern coastline of CentralAmerica and includescoastal dunes, mangroves,marshes and inundated andupland forests. Theinclusion of local people inits management helpsmaintain the balancebetween pure conservationand the need for sustainableuse of resources by the localcommunity.

ReportingEach government that joinsthe Convention is to reporton what it has done toimplement the accord, andhow effective this is inmeeting the objectives of ]

the Convention. Thesereports are submitted to theConference of the Parties(COP) – the governingbody that brings together allcountries that have ratifiedthe Convention. Thereports can be viewed by thecitizens of all nations. TheConvention secretariatworks with nationalgovernments to helpstrengthen reporting and tomake the reports of variouscountries more consistentand comparable, so that theworld community can get aclearer picture of the bigtrends. Part of that workinvolves developingindicators for measuringtrends in biodiversity,particularly the effects ofhuman actions anddecisions on theconservation andsustainable use ofbiodiversity. The nationalreports, particularly whenseen together, are one of the key tools for trackingprogress in meeting theConvention’s objectives.

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Thematic programmes and "cross-cutting" issuesThe Convention’s members regularly share ideas on bestpractices and policies for the conservation and sustainableuse of biodiversity with an ecosystem approach. They lookat how to deal with biodiversity concerns duringdevelopment planning, how to promote transboundarycooperation, and how to involve indigenous peoples andlocal communities in ecosystem management. TheConference of the Parties has launched a number ofthematic programmes covering the biodiversity of inlandwaters, forests, marine and coastal areas, drylands, andagricultural lands. Cross-cutting issues are also addressed onmatters such as the control of alien invasive species,strengthening the capacity of member countries in taxonomy,and the development of indicators of biodiversity loss.

Sharing the benefits of genetic resources An important part of the biodiversity debate involves accessto and sharing of the benefits arising out of the commercialand other utilization of genetic material, such aspharmaceutical products. Most of the world’s biodiversity isfound in developing countries, which consider it a resourcefor fueling their economic and social development.Historically, plant genetic resources were collected forcommercial use outside their region of origin or as inputs inplant breeding. Foreign bioprospectors have searched fornatural substances to develop new commercial products,such drugs. Often, the products would be sold and protectedby patents or other intellectual property rights, without fairbenefits to the source countries.

The treaty recognizes national sovereignty over all geneticresources, and provides that access to valuable biologicalresources be carried out on "mutually agreed terms" andsubject to the "prior informed consent" of the country oforigin. When a microorganism, plant, or animal is used for

a commercial application, the country from whichit came has the right to benefit. Such benefits

can include cash, samples of what iscollected, the participation or training

of national researchers, the transferof biotechnology equipment andknow-how, and shares of any profitsfrom the use of the resources.

Work has begun to translate thisconcept into reality and there arealready examples of benefit-sharing

arrangements. At least a dozencountries have established

controls over access to theirgenetic resources, and anequal number of nations are developingsuch controls. Amongst the examples:

• In 1995, the Philippinesrequired bioprospectors toget "prior informed consent"from both the governmentand local peoples.

• Costa Rica’s NationalInstitute of Biodiversity(INBIO) signed a historicbioprospecting agreementwith a major drug companyto receive funds and share inbenefits from biologicalmaterials that arecommercialized.

• Countries of the AndeanPact (Colombia, Ecuador,Peru, Bolivia andVenezuela) have adoptedlaws and measures toregulate access to theirgenetic resources. The bio-prospector is required tomeet certain conditions,such as the submission ofduplicate samples of geneticresources collected to adesignated institution;including a nationalinstitution in the collectionof genetic resources; sharingexisting information;sharing research results withthe competent nationalauthority; assisting in thestrengthening ofinstitutional capacities; andsharing specific financial orrelated benefits.

Through the Convention,countries meet to developcommon policies on thesematters.

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Financial and technical supportWhen the Convention wasadopted, developingcountries emphasized thattheir ability to take nationalactions to achieve globalbiodiversity benefits woulddepend on financial andtechnical assistance. Thus,bilateral and multilateralsupport for capacity buildingand for investing in projectsand programmes is essentialfor enabling developingcountries to meet theConvention’s objectives.

Convention-relatedactivities by developingcountries are eligible forsupport from the financialmechanism of the

Traditional knowledgeThe Convention alsorecognizes the close andtraditional dependence ofindigenous and localcommunities on biologicalresources and the need toensure that thesecommunities share in thebenefits arising from the useof their traditionalknowledge and practicesrelating to the conservationand sustainable use ofbiodiversity. Membergovernments haveundertaken "to respect,preserve and maintain" suchknowledge and practices, topromote their widerapplication with theapproval and involvementof the communitiesconcerned, and toencourage the equitablesharing of the benefitsderived from theirutilization.

Convention: the GlobalEnvironment Facility(GEF). GEF projects,supported by the UnitedNations EnvironmentProgramme (UNEP), theUnited NationsDevelopment Programme(UNDP) and the WorldBank, help forgeinternational cooperationand finance actions toaddress four critical threatsto the global environment:biodiversity loss, climatechange, depletion of theozone layer and degradationof international waters. Bythe end of 1999, the GEFhad contributed nearly $ 1 billion for biodiversityprojects in more than 120countries.

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The Biosafety Protocol Since the domestication of the first crops and farm animals, we have altered their genetic makeup throughselective breeding and cross-fertilization. The results have been greater agricultural productivity and improvedhuman nutrition.

In recent years, advances in biotechnology techniques haveenabled us to cross the species barrier by transferring genesfrom one species to another. We now have transgenicplants, such as tomatoes and strawberries that have beenmodified using a gene from a cold water fish to protect theplants from frost. Some varieties of potato and corn havereceived genes from a bacterium that enables them toproduce their own insecticide, thus reducing the need tospray chemical insecticides. Other plants have beenmodified to tolerate herbicides sprayed to kill weeds. LivingModified Organisms (LMOs) – often known as geneticallymodified organisms (GMOs) – are becoming part of anincreasing number of products, including foods and foodadditives, beverages, drugs, adhesives, and fuels.Agricultural and pharmaceutical LMOs have rapidlybecome a multi-billion-dollar global industry.

Biotechnology is being promoted as a better way to growcrops and produce medicines, but it has raised concernsabout potential side effects on human health and theenvironment, including risks to biological diversity. In somecountries, genetically altered agricultural products havebeen sold without much debate, while in others, there havebeen vocal protests against their use, particularly when theyare sold without being identified as genetically modified.

In response to these concerns, governments negotiated asubsidiary agreement to the Convention to address thepotential risks posed by cross-border trade and accidentalreleases of LMOs. Adopted in January 2000, the CartagenaProtocol on Biosafety allows governments to signal whether or

[ not they are willing to acceptimports of agriculturalcommodities that includeLMOs by communicatingtheir decision to the worldcommunity via a BiosafetyClearing House, a mechanismset up to facilitate theexchange of information onand experience with LMOs.In addition, commodities thatmay contain LMOs are to beclearly labeled as such whenbeing exported.

Stricter Advanced InformedAgreement procedures willapply to seeds, live fish, andother LMOs that are to beintentionally introducedinto the environment. Inthese cases, the exportermust provide detailedinformation to eachimporting country inadvance of the firstshipment, and the importermust then authorize theshipment. The aim is toensure that recipientcountries have both theopportunity and thecapacity to assess risksinvolving the products ofmodern biotechnology. The Protocol will enter intoforce after it has beenratified by 50 governments.

55 - What are the next steps?

Some of the major challenges to implementingthe Convention on Biological Diversity andpromoting sustainable development are:• Meeting the increasing demand for biological resources

caused by population growth and increasedconsumption, while considering the long-termconsequences of our actions.

• Increasing our capacity to document and understandbiodiversity, its value, and threats to it.

• Building adequate expertise and experience inbiodiversity planning.

• Improving policies, legislation, guidelines, and fiscalmeasures for regulating the use of biodiversity.

• Adopting incentives to promote more sustainable forms of biodiversity use.

• Promoting trade rules and practices that fostersustainable use of biodiversity.

• Strengthening coordination within governments, and between governments and stakeholders.

• Securing adequate financial resources for conservationand sustainable use, from both national andinternational sources.

• Making better use of technology.

• Building political support for the changes necessary to ensure biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

• Improving education and public awareness about the value of biodiversity.

Economic development isessential to meeting humanneeds and to eliminating thepoverty that affects so manypeople around the world.The sustainable use ofnature is essential for thelong-term success ofdevelopment strategies. Amajor challenge for the 21stcentury will be making theconservation andsustainable use ofbiodiversity a compellingbasis for developmentpolicies, business decisions,and consumer desires.

Promoting the long termThe Convention has alreadyaccomplished a great dealon the road to sustainabledevelopment bytransforming theinternational community’sapproach to biodiversity.This progress has beendriven by the Convention’sinherent strengths of nearuniversal membership, acomprehensive and science-driven mandate,international financialsupport for nationalprojects, world-classscientific and technologicaladvice, and the politicalinvolvement ofgovernments. It has broughttogether, for the first time,people with very differentinterests. It offers hope forthe future by forging a newdeal between governments,economic interests,environmentalists,indigenous peoples and local

communities, andthe concernedcitizen.

However, manychallenges still lieahead. After asurge of interest in the wake of the Rio Summit, manyobservers are disappointed by the slow progress towardssustainable development during the 1990s. Attention toenvironmental problems was distracted by a series ofeconomic crises, budget deficits, and local and regionalconflicts. Despite the promise of Rio, economic growthwithout adequate environmental safeguards is still the rulerather than the exception.

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The Convention on Biological Diversity and its underlyingconcepts can be difficult to communicate to politicians andto the general public. Nearly a decade after the Conventionfirst acknowledged the lack of information and knowledgeregarding biological diversity, it remains an issue that fewpeople understand. There is little public discussion of howto make sustainable use of biodiversity part of economicdevelopment.

The greatest crunch in sustainable development decisions isthe short – versus the long-term time frame. Sadly, it oftenstill pays to exploit the environment now by harvesting asmuch as possible as fast as possible because economic rulesdo little to protect long-term interests.

Truly sustainable development requires countries to redefinetheir policies on land use, food, water, energy, employment,development, conservation, economics, and trade.Biodiversity protection and sustainable use requires theparticipation of ministries responsible for such areas asagriculture, forestry, fisheries, energy, tourism, trade andfinance.

The challenge facing governments, businesses, and citizensis to forge transition strategies leading to long-termsustainable development. It means negotiating trade-offseven as people are clamoring for more land and businessesare pressing for concessions to expand their harvests. Thelonger we wait, the fewer options we will have.

Information, education, and trainingThe transition to sustainable development requires a shift inpublic attitudes as to what is an acceptable use of nature.This can only happen if people have the right information,skills, and organizations for understanding and dealing withbiodiversity issues. Governments and the businesscommunity need to invest in staff and training, and theyneed to support organizations, including scientific bodies,that can deal with and advise on biodiversity issues.

We also need a long-term process of public education tobring about changes in behaviour and lifestyles, and toprepare societies for the changes needed for sustainability.Better biodiversity education would meet one of the goalsset out in the Convention.

What can I do aboutbiodiversity? While governments shouldplay a leadership role, othersectors of society need to beactively involved. After all,it is the choices and actionsof billions of individualsthat will determine whetheror not biodiversity isconserved and usedsustainably.

In an era when economics isa dominant force in worldaffairs, it is more importantthan ever to have businesswillingly involved inenvironmental protectionand the sustainable use ofnature. Some companieshave revenues far greaterthan those of entirecountries, and theirinfluence is immense.Fortunately, a growingnumber of companies havedecided to apply theprinciples of sustainabledevelopment to theiroperations. For example, a number of forestrycompanies – often under intense pressure from environmentalboycotts – have movedfrom clear-cutting to lessdestructive forms of timberharvesting. More and morecompanies have also foundways to make a profit whilereducing theirenvironmental impacts.They view sustainabledevelopment as ensuring

long-term profitability andincreased goodwill fromtheir business partners,employees, and consumers.

Local communities play akey role since they are thetrue "managers" of theecosystems in which theylive and, thus, have a majorimpact on them. Manyprojects have beensuccessfully developed inrecent years involving theparticipation of localcommunities in thesustainable management ofbiodiversity, often with thevaluable assistance of NGOsand intergovernmentalorganizations.

Finally, the ultimatedecision-maker forbiodiversity is the individualcitizen. The small choicesthat individuals make addup to a large impact becauseit is personal consumptionthat drives development,which in turn uses andpollutes nature. By carefullychoosing the products theybuy and the governmentpolicies that they support,the general public can beginto steer the world towardssustainable development.Governments, companies,and others have aresponsibility to lead andinform the public, butfinally it is individualchoices, made billions oftimes a day, that count the most. ]

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Conclusion

Although still in its infancy, the Convention on BiologicalDiversity is already making itself felt. The philosophy ofsustainable development, the ecosystem approach, and theemphasis on building partnerships are all helping to shapeglobal action on biodiversity. The data and reports thatgovernments are gathering and sharing with each other areproviding a sound basis for understanding the challengesand collaborating on the solutions.

Much, much more needs to be done. The passage of theEarth’s biodiversity through the coming century will be itsmost severe test. With human population expected to risedramatically, particularly in developing countries, and theconsumer revolution set for exponential expansion – not tomention the worsening stresses of climate change, ozonedepletion, and hazardous chemicals – species andecosystems will face ever more serious threats. Unless wetake action now, children born today will live in animpoverished world.

The Convention offers a comprehensive, global strategy forpreventing such a tragedy. A richer future is possible. Ifgovernments and all sectors of society apply the conceptsembodied in the Convention and make the conservationand sustainable use of biological diversity a real priority, we can ensure a new and sustainable relationship between humanity and the natural world for the generations to come.

[

]For more information about the Convention, please contact:

Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity World Trade Centre

393 St Jacques ouest, Suite 300 Montreal, Quebec Canada H2Y 1N9Phone: + 1 (514) 288 2220Fax: + 1 (514) 288 6588

E-mail: secretariat@biodiv.org Web site: www.biodiv.org

United Nations Environment ProgrammeDivision of Environmental Conventions/IUCInternational Environment House

15, chemin des Anémones1219 Châtelaine, SwitzerlandPhone : +41-22-917-8242/8196Fax : +41-22-717-9283

Email : iuc@unep.chWeb site : www.unep.ch/conventions

To obtain information on national reports submitted by governments under the Convention, contactyour national government’s focal point, usually with the ministry responsible for environment or naturalresources. National reports are also available electronically on the Convention’s web site atwww.biodiv.org.