Soil degradation is a critical and growing global problem. As the world population increases, pressure on soil also increases and the natural capital of soil faces continuing decline. International policy makers have recognized this and a range of initiatives to address it have emerged over recent years. However, a gap remains between what the science tells us about soil and its role in underpinning ecological and human sustainable development, and existing policy instruments for sustainable development. Functioning soil is necessary for ecosystem service delivery, climate change abatement, food and fiber production and fresh water storage. Yet key policy instruments and initiatives for sustainable development have under-recognized the role of soil in addressing major challenges including food and water security, biodiversity loss, climate change and energy sustainability. Soil science has not been sufficiently translated to policy for sustainable development. Two underlying reasons for this are explored and the new concept of soil security is proposed to bridge the science-policy divide. Soil security is explored as a conceptual framework that could be used as the basis for a soil policy framework with soil carbon as an exemplar indicator.

http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/lehmann/publ/Global%20Policy%204,%20434-441,%202013%20Koch.pdf

Soil Security: Solving the Global Soil Crisis

Through the comparison and analysis of the English,Japanese and Chinese version of 《Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage》,the article points out that there are some translation errors in the official Chinese version,and offers a rectifying proposal.

Some Reflections on the Explanation of "Cultural Heritage" in the Chinese Version of 《Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage》

Recent ecosystem service models have placed biodiversity as a central factor in the processes that link the natural environment to health. While it is recognized that disturbed ecosystems might negatively affect human well-being, it is not clear whether biodiversity is related to or can promote "good" human health and well-being. The aim of this study was to systematically identify, summarize, and synthesize research that had examined whether biodiverse environments are health promoting. The objectives were twofold: (1) to map the interdisciplinary field of enquiry and (2) to assess whether current evidence enables us to characterize the relationship. Due to the heterogeneity of available evidence a narrative synthesis approach was used, which is textual rather than statistical. Extensive searches identified 17 papers that met the inclusion criteria: 15 quantitative and 2 qualitative. The evidence was varied in disciplinary origin, with authors approaching the question using different study designs and methods, and conceptualizations of biodiversity, health, and well-being. There is some evidence to suggest that biodiverse natural environments promote better health through exposure to pleasant environments or the encouragement of health-promoting behaviors. There was also evidence of inverse relationships, particularly at a larger scale (global analyses). However, overall the evidence is inconclusive and fails to identify a specific role for biodiversity in the promotion of better health. High-quality interdisciplinary research is needed to produce a more reliable evidence base. Of particular importance is identifying the specific ecosystem services, goods, and processes through which biodiversity may generate good health and well-being.

/pdf/a-systematic-review-of-the-health-and-well-being-benefits-of-42e8qk3opo.pdf

A Systematic Review of the Health and Well-Being Benefits of Biodiverse Environments

Sustainable Development Strategies—A Resource Book

Criminal Jurisdiction of State Courts under the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic Of Ethiopia

Unraveling the Nagoya Protocol: A Commentary on the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing to the Convention on Biological Diversity

In light of almost twenty years of implementation, this article looks afresh at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), by assessing its evolution and current legal significance with a view to better understanding its immediate future. To this end, the article critically analyses the outcomes of the tenth meeting of the CBD Conference of the Parties, in order to determine progress in the development and implementation of the Convention at the level of both international cooperation and national implementation.

/pdf/yesterday-today-and-tomorrow-looking-afresh-at-the-4riiaoq6i6.pdf

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Looking Afresh at the Convention on Biological Diversity

/pdf/yesterday-today-and-tomorrow-looking-afresh-at-the-1hkikd5wly.pdf

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Looking Afresh at the Convention on Biological Diversity

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Towards a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: A Review of the Working Group Negotiations

INTRODUCTION Elisa Morgera, Matthias Buck and Elsa Tsioumani PART I - IMPLICATIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL LAW CHAPTER 1. The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing: Innovations in International Environmental Law Lyle Glowka and Valerie Normand CHAPTER 2. The International Human Rights Law Implications of the Nagoya Protocol Annalisa Savaresi CHAPTER 3. An Analysis of the Relationship between the Nagoya Protocol and Instruments related to Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and Farmers' Rights Claudio Chiarolla, Selim Louafi and Marie Schloen CHAPTER 4. A Healthy Look at the Nagoya Protocol - Implications for Global Health Governance Marie Wilke CHAPTER 5. The Law of the Sea: A before and an after Nagoya? Charlotte Salpin CHAPTER 6. The Nagoya Protocol and WTO Law Riccardo Pavoni PART II - REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES CHAPTER 7. Implementing the Nagoya Protocol in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges for African Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Peter Munyi and Harry Jonas CHAPTER 8. An Asian Developing Country's View on the Implementation Challenges of the Nagoya Protocol Gurdial Singh Nijar CHAPTER 9. Challenges in the Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol from the Perspective of a Member State of the European Union: The Case of Spain Alejandro Lago Candeira and Luciana Silvestri CHAPTER 10. Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in JUSCANZ Countries: The Unlikely Lot Geoff Burton CHAPTER 11. The Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges and Opportunities Jorge Cabrera Medaglia PART III - CROSS-CUTTING IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES CHAPTER 12. The Implications of the Nagoya Protocol for the Ethical Sourcing of Biodiversity Maria Julia Oliva CHAPTER 13. Governing Global Scientific Research Commons under the Nagoya Protocol Tom Dedeurwaerdere, Arianna Broggiato, Selim Louafi, Eric Welch and Fulya Batur CHAPTER 14. The Role of Private International Law under the Nagoya Protocol Claudio Chiarolla CHAPTER 15. An International Cooperation Perspective on the Implementation of the Nagoya Protocol Tomme Rosanne Young CONCLUSIONS Elisa Morgera, Matthias Buck and Elsa Tsioumani

Elsa Tsioumani

Papers

Unraveling the Nagoya Protocol: A Commentary on the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing to the Convention on Biological Diversity

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Looking Afresh at the Convention on Biological Diversity

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Looking Afresh at the Convention on Biological Diversity

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Towards a Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: A Review of the Working Group Negotiations

The 2010 Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing in perspective : implications for international law and implementation challenges