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.

The HELCOM system of a vision, strategic goals and ecological objectives: implementing an ecosystem approach to the management of human activities in the Baltic Sea

Abstract: 1. Since signing the Helsinki Convention in 1974, the countries with coasts around the Baltic Sea have striven jointly within the Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) towards the ecological restoration of the Baltic Sea. The European Community signed the revised Convention in 1992. 2. Work under HELCOM includes implementing joint recommendations to curb pollution originating from land and marine sources, ensuring safer maritime traffic, and protecting biodiversity, for example, by setting up a network of Baltic Sea protected areas. 3. A new concept — the ecosystem approach to the management of human activities — was adopted by the Contracting Parties of HELCOM in 2003 to serve as the new framework for further efforts towards attaining good ecological status of the Baltic Sea. 4. Stepwise progress towards the development of quantitative definitions of good ecological status has been made since 2003 to implement the new approach: a common vision reflecting the ecosystem approach was adopted in 2004 and a number of more targeted goals and objectives were agreed in 2006. 5. The Contracting Parties to the Helsinki Convention will use the objectives adopted covering eutrophication, impacts of hazardous substances, and the overall status of biodiversity, including the impact of fisheries and shipping, to draft a new set of joint management actions. 6. In the future, an agreement under development among the Contracting Parties on indicators with quantitative targets will enable a quantitative assessment of ‘good ecological status’ and progress towards the goals of HELCOM, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well European legislation concerning marine environmental protection. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Halting biodiversity loss: how social–ecological biodiversity research makes a difference

Abstract: In 2010, there was a bold commitment to take action in halting global biodiversity loss by 2020. Now, half way through the Convention on Biological Diversity strategic plan 2011–2020, the success o...

Four approaches to guide ecological restoration in Latin America

Abstract: There is strong upswing in conservation and restoration efforts in Latin America (LA), particularly in the recent decades after several countries have committed to international agreements such as the Aichi targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Initiative 20×20, and the Bonn Challenge. To fulfill these agreements, the practice of ecological restoration has to be defined based on ecological knowledge, but also on the specific social, economic, and legal aspects of each country in the region. Here, we give some examples about the national understanding of ecological restoration in 10 countries of LA. We identify difficulties and opportunities to define restoration priorities and needs, and discuss some approaches to cope with economic constraints and agreements, including the potential role of restoration networks in this process. On the basis of the socioecological complexity of these countries and the expectations they have in relation to restoration, we proposed four approaches to guide restoration practice and policy in the region: (1) including biodiversity and ecosystem services approach into ecosystem restoration initiatives; (2) promoting restoration in their frequently human-modified landscapes; (3) accounting for cost–benefit trade-offs; and (4) assembling “horizontal” communication frameworks. These approaches should be based at national levels, but adapted to local-regional levels, in a bottom-up perspective. We consider that national and international restoration networks in the region can help to overcome difficulties, fostering a solid scientific community, helping to develop national approaches that better match the specific conditions of each country and enhancing communication among different groups of stakeholders.

Re-thinking Nature:Towards an Eco-Pluralism

Abstract: Biodiversity initiatives have traditionally operated within a ‘science-first’ model of environmental decision-making. The model assumes a hierarchical relationship in which scientific knowledge is elevated above other knowledge systems. Consequently, other types of knowledge held by the public, such as traditional or lay knowledges, are undervalued and under-represented in biodiversity projects. Drawing upon two case studies of biodiversity initiatives in Canada, this paper looks at the role that constructivist conceptions of education play in the integration of alternative knowledge systems in environmental decision-making. In so doing, it argues that the conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing goals outlined by the Convention on Biological Diversity (signed in 1992 under the auspices of the United Nations Environmental Programme) demand new models of governance which embrace the adaptive management qualities of learning organisations.