Within grasp? - biological diversity protection

UN Chronicle, Summer, 1997

It is increasingly recognized that biodiversity is central to sustainable development and to Agenda 21 - the programme of action for sustainable development adopted at UNCED. The Convention cuts across many vital economic and environment issues, from climate change and desertification to water quality and air pollution, to poverty alleviation and development projects.

Biosafety: The biosafety negotiations that started earlier this year reflect growing concern about the potential risks posed by living modified organisms produced by modern biotechnology. There are currently no binding international agreements addressing situations where living modified organisms cross national borders, whether through trade or by accident. Many developing countries lack the technical, financial and institutional capacity to address biosafety. The talks are expected to lead to the adoption of a biosafety protocol to the Biodiversity Convention in 1998.

Agriculture: As humanity steadily narrows the range of crops it uses for food, there is a growing risk that declining agricultural diversity could undermine food security and the ability of future generations to satisfy their basic needs. Therefore, Governments have decided to focus over the coming two years on sustainable agriculture, which links conservation efforts and socio-economic benefits. An international meeting of experts is likely to be held in May in Montreal.

Forests: Too often forests are managed merely as sources of timber. A more comprehensive approach recognizes that tropical, temperate and boreal forests provide a full range of services, including watershed management. The vital issue of sustainable forestry was addressed through the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, set up by the Commission on Sustainable Development, which concluded its work on 21 February in New York. The Panel's findings will help to define the Convention's future agenda on forests.

Marine and coastal areas: Countering the threats of habitat destruction, pollution, invasion by alien species and over-exploitation can best be achieved by bringing together the many scientific, legal, economic and technological issues that affect marine and coastal areas. The relevant biodiversity work programme is based on five thematic areas: integrated marine and coastal area management; marine and coastal protected areas; sustainable use of coastal and marine living resources; mariculture (e.g. fish farming); and alien species.

Indigenous and local knowledge: The Convention recognizes the special role that indigenous and local communities play in the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity. Their knowledge, innovations and practices need to be identified and protected, and the Convention is the unique forum in which to address that issue. An intergovernmental workshop will be held in late 1997 to look at the practical and legal issues surrounding intellectual property rights and indigenous peoples.

In addition to the workshops and negotiating sessions, experts and government officials will attend the meeting of the Convention's Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice in Montreal from 1 to 5 September. The fourth session of the Conference of the Parties will then be held in May 1998 in Slovakia, to review the work programme, as well as the first national reports that Governments will soon submit describing their strategies and actions for promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.