Convention on Biological Diversity

About: Convention on Biological Diversity is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2232 publications have been published within this topic receiving 65599 citations. The topic is also known as: CBD & United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

Chapter 2: High Nature Value farmland and traditional agricultural landscapes: Open opportunities in the development of rural areas

Abstract: Agriculture is shaping most of the European landscapes. Its activities started about 8,000 years ago and spread until it reached its maximum extension and covered half of the European territory. Agricultural land covers half of Europe's territory. In the European context the development of farming traditions is strongly interlinked with the development of human culture. People have spread across the continent adapting habits and agricultural practices to local climatic and geographical conditions, and subsequently adapting them for their own subsistence. This chapter deals with the wild flora and fauna or wildlife and habitats in the terminology adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Furthermore, a distinction is made between species diversity within the agricultural system and the contribution to overall species diversity at a higher spatial scale, including the effects of agriculture on surrounding natural systems. Keywords: agriculture; Convention on Biological Diversity; Europe; European landscapes; human culture

The role of business in biodiversity and impact assessment

Abstract: Much has been done in recent years to generate international policy frameworks that promote the integration of biodiversity into impact assessment (Ramsar Convention, Resolution VIII.9 (2002), Convention on Biological Diversity, Decision VI-7 (2002), and the Convention on Migratory Species Resolution 7.2 (2002), but effective implementation of these frameworks remains a challenge. While implementation of international policy is ultimately the responsibility of the national governments who have signed up to the conventions, others also have a role to play in translating policy commitments into action on the ground. This paper explores how the business community could play a role in moving towards implementing biodiversity and impact assessment policy.

International Cooperation against the Hegemon: The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Abstract: America’s retreat from environmental leadership in the early 1990s marks a turning point in environmental diplomacy. Ever since the United States took a backseat role at the 1992 Rio ‘Earth Summit’, it has repeatedly opposed new environmental treaties that contain binding rules and obligations. Given America’s pre-eminent position in the international political economy the unilateral turn in US foreign policy has come as a blow to ongoing efforts to strengthen global environmental governance. Yet, international environmental policy-making has continued in areas where the US refuses to take on new international commitments as was the case with the Kyoto Protocol, which has entered into force in 2005 despite US withdrawal from the agreement. This chapter investigates another area of international contention, which pitted the US and a small group of agricultural export countries against the large majority of European and developing countries wishing to create internationally binding rules: the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the world’s first international treaty regulating the transboundary movement of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Stakeholder Visions for Biodiversity Conservation in Developing Countries

Abstract: The 2014 Conference of the Parties (COP 12) for the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was another step on the road to achieving the Aichi Targets the CBD agreed in 2010. It was also a key step on the way to making progress towards the vision of a more balanced relationship between people and the rest of biodiversity by 2050. Many key issues were left for this COP by negotiators from COP 11 and earlier meetings; such as settling financial issues, articulating clearly the Aichi Targets for national implementation by 2020, or providing clear guidance on capacity-building for developing states. This paper utilizes 22 stakeholder interviews taken at the 2012 Hyderabad COP to develop discussion of ongoing issues in the CBD negotiations. These interviews yielded a number of tractable policy opportunities available for the 2014 Conference to create significant space for developing countries to contribute effectively to global achievement of the Aichi Targets. Breakthroughs and developments at the COP, despite the inevitability of some difficult discussions, will be provided by developing country perspectives. Despite that potential traction, Ministers at the high-level segment noted that progress towards the Aichi targets is insufficient and recognizing there was still much to do on resource mobilization, reaffirmed their commitment to mobilize financial resources from all sources for the effective implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020. As we enter the second half of the 2011–2020 decade, developing countries must be placed at the center of efforts to improve sustainable use, conservation and benefit sharing of biodiversity around the world.