The Convention on Biological Diversity
What is the Convention on Biological Diversity?
The Convention on Biological Diversity is the most broadly subscribed international environmental treaty in the world. Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro Brazil in 1992, it currently (October 2009) has 193 Parties -192 States and the European Community - who have committed themselves to its three overall goals:
- the conservation of biodiversity;
- the sustainable use of its components and;
- the equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
As the Convention is legally binding; member parties are obliged to implement all of its provisions.
Importantly, the Convention emphasizes that the development of human societies worldwide goes hand in hand with sustainable usage of the products and services that biological diversity provide. This humanistic point of view has ensured that the conservation of biodiversity is now seen as a ‘common concern of humankind'. The Convention further explicitly sets principles for the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources, notably those destined for commercial use. It also covers the rapidly expanding field of biotechnology, addressing technology development and transfer, benefit-sharing and biosafety.
The Secretariat of the Convention is located in Montreal.
Why is taxonomy important to the Convention on Biological Diversity?
Governments that have signed and ratified the CBD are legally obliged to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity. To achieve these ends they develop national biodiversity strategies and action plans, which should rime national economic development and environmental protection.
Key issues that are addressed in this process include the inventory, monitoring and safeguarding of biodiversity. The latter is achieved through the establishment of protected areas, the restoration of degraded ecosystems, the control of invasive alien species species, the control of genetic pollution caused by biotechnological processes, etc. It is the science of taxonomy - actively engaged in the detection, description and classification of organisms - that provides the baseline data to attend to these issues.
How does the Convention on Biological Diversity function?
The Conference of the Parties (COP) has established seven thematic programmes of work (i.e. Agricultural Biodiversity, Dry andSub-humid Lands Biodiversity, Forest Biodiversity, InlandWaters Biodiversity, Island Biodiversity, Marine and CoastalBiodiversity, Mountain Biodiversity.listed below) which correspond to some of the major biomes on the planet. Each programme establishes a vision for, and basic principles to guide future work. They also set out key issues for consideration, identify potential outputs, and suggest a timetable and means for achieving these. Implementation of the work programmes depends on contributions from Parties, the Secretariat, relevant intergovernmental and other organizations, but especially from motivated individuals. Periodically, the COP and its open-ended intergovernmental scientific advisory body known as the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) review the state of implementation of the work programmes.
The COP has also initiated work on key matters of relevance to all thematic areas. These cross-cutting issues correspond to the issues addressed in the Convention's substantive provisions in Articles 6-20, and provide bridges and links between the thematic programmes. Some cross cutting initiatives directly support work under thematic programmes, for example, the work on indicators provides information on the status and trends of biodiversity for all biomes. Others develop discrete products quite separate from the thematic programmes. The work done for these cross-cutting issues has led to a number of principles, guidelines, and other tools to facilitate the implementation of the CBD. The Global Taxonomy Initiative is one of the 17 cross-cutting issues.
Course
Biodiversity internationally - Key organisations and political agreements.
References
Adams, W.M. 2006. The Future of Sustainability: Re-thinking Environment and Development in the Twenty-first Century. Report of the IUCN Renowned Thinkers Meeting, 29-31 JAnuary 2006 1-19.
Balmford, A., Clegg, L., Coulson, T. & Taylor, J. 2002. Why Conservationists Should Heed Pokemon. Science 295: 2367b. (Txt)
- Ehrlich P.R., Wilson E.O. 1991. Biodiversity Studies: Science and Politics. Science 253: 758-762.
- Franklin, A. 2001. Convention sur la diversité biologique: le rôle de l'Institut royal des Sciences naturelles dans le Centre d'échange belge et le partenariat. Ambassades et Consulats 10-12.
- Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2006. Guidance for promoting synergy among activities addressing biological diversity, desertification, land degradation and climate change. CBD Technical Series 1-4
- Scholes, R.J. et al. 2008. Towards a Global Biodiversity Observing System. Science 321: 1044-1045.
- Van Goethem, J. 1999. Het Verdrag inzake biologische diversiteit en de opvolging ervan in België. Biol. Jaarb. Dodonnea 66: 49-88 (in Dutch with English abstract).
Additional information is available in the Learn more folder.
