Background

If the decline in biological diversity is to be halted, the intentions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) must be converted into concrete action. This is essential if the situation of people in developing countries is to improve.

Decisions on the conservation and use of biodiversity must involve the population of the affected region – for example, those living in or near a protected area. This is important because people will not accept conservation measures and regulations unless they have a fair share in the profits arising from the use of their biodiversity.

So far, however, the internationally agreed commitments of the CBD and other environmental agreements have scarcely been put into practice. There is a lack of the technical, institutional and financial support that is needed to, for example, secure protected areas or develop equitable ways of using biological diversity sustainably.

Major causes for the continuing loss of species diversity are destructive extraction, over-exploitation, land-use change, climate change and the suppression of native species by newly introduced invasive species.

There is often insufficient incentive to use biological diversity sustainably – by, for example, managing a forest sustainably rather than cutting it down. The increasing industrialisation of agriculture also takes place at the expense of biodiversity. Agricultural subsidies, natural disasters and wars contribute, too, to the disappearance of plant and animal species.

If the CBD were to founder, this would have serious consequences: the conditions of people all over the world would deteriorate. Those in rural areas would be most affected by the worsening shortages and deteriorating quality of natural resources: poorer and less fertile soils and inferior water quality result in poorer harvests and increased risk of disease. Hand in hand with the decline in species diversity would go the erosion of traditionally transmitted knowledge of plants and animals. Dwindling biodiversity would mean the loss of a veritable treasure trove for agricultural, medicinal and biotechnological research and practice – with major social and economic consequences for every country in the world.

To arrest the decline of biodiversity, action must be taken by industrialised and developing countries alike:

• The industrialised countries need to change their consumption patterns: environmental and resource management must be based on principles of sustainability, and the conservation of biological diversity must be mainstreamed in every sphere of policy.
• The developing countries need additional means and know-how, and they need to be enabled to adopt a policy position that accords with the provisions of the CBD. In addition, the conservation of biodiversity must be linked to other strategies, such as those for poverty reduction, good governance and adaptation to climate change.