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Environment &
Biodiversity: Agenda for future
P. Pushpangadan & H.
M. Behl
National Botanical
Research Institute Lucknow- 226 001, INDIA
India's economic
growth is moving forward at seven to eight per cent a year, making it
one of the fastest growing economies of the world. Fast and unregulated
urbanization is threatening traditional ways of life and increasing
pollution merely due to lack of understanding of sustainability, proper
management, poor partnerships between industry, community and research &
development. Global efforts to eradicate poverty (income of less than
US# 1 a day) are currently focused on the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs).
The eight goals first articulated by the United Nations in September
2000 have been in place for five years.
UN Millennium Goals
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Eradicate extreme
poverty and hunger
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Achieve universal
primary education
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Promote gender
inequality and empower women
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Reduce child
mortality
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Improve maternal
health
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Combat HIV/AIDS,
malaria and other diseases
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Ensure
environmental sustainability
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Develop global
partnership for development
Goal # 7 and 8 are
crucial that will lead to sustainability. India has achieved
self-sufficiency in food yet several stomachs are still hungry. Out of
these majority are those that till the land, produce food for others,
are small landholders or rural landless.
The environment
today
Environment covered
water, air, land, and the inhabitants. The focus was on air and water
pollution and its abatement. The National Environmental Tribunals Act
1995 was enacted to provide for strict liability for damages arising
out of any accident occurring while handling any hazardous substance and
for the establishment of a National Environment Tribunal for effective
and expeditious disposal of cases arising from such accidents, with a
view to giving relief and compensation for damages to persons, property
and the environment and for matters connected therewith or incidental
thereto. Biodiversity was not emphasized while defining environment.
Forest, wild life, agriculture, fishes etc. were considered as
components of environment but the concept of biodiversity as defined by
the Convention on Biodiversity is a recent introduction in the
definition of environment. The country did introduce
Green Benches
as
constituted by the Chief Justice of the respective High Courts either on
their own or on directions from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
to constitute exclusively a bench (quorum consisting of more than one
Judge) to deal with matters relating to environment. However, it did not
focus on the issues related to sustainability that cannot be decided in
courts.
The Environmental
Statement is defined by the International Chamber of Commerce as "a
management tool comprising a systematic, documented, periodic and
objective evaluation of how well environmental organizations, management
and equipment are performing with the aim of helping to safeguard the
environment by a) Facilitating management control of environmental
protection; and b) Assessing compliance with company policies which,
would include muting regulatory requirements. Safeguard of biodiversity
and sustainable development do not figure in the Environment Statement.
India is the first country in the world that has provided for
constitutional safeguards for the protection and preservation of the
environment. In the constitution of India, specific provisions for the
protection of environment have been incorporated by the Constitution (42
amendment) Act, 1976. Now, it is an obligatory duty of the State and
every citizen to protect and improve the environment. The Directive
Principles of State Policy contain specific provisions enunciating the
State commitment for protecting the environment. "The State shall
endeavor to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests
and wildlife of the country". Furthermore, duties of the citizens
towards environment are contained in Article 5 1 -A(g), This Article
says :- "It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and
improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and
wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures" However, the
scenario of pollution and environmental damage is alarming. The natural
resource base is under siege; poor water management degrades and
squanders as precious resource, it is linked to the urbanization of
poverty, UN secretary general Kofi Annan sustainable development
The other view on
environment
There are
contradicting reports on several issues such as global warming, climate
change since these have international implications. Several climate
scientists are divided on whether or not there is global warming. US
scientists have a different view on the subject. "The core of the Bush
policy was a voluntary goal of reducing emissions 'intensity' by 18
percent by 2012," says Aimee Christensen, executive director of
Environment 2004, a political action group. Compare that to the targets
set by the Kyoto Protocol, which would have mandated that by 2012 the
U.S. return to emission levels 7 percent below those of 1990, or the
McCain/Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act, which asked that the U.S.
return to year 2000 levels of emissions. Both those plans would result
in actual reductions, not just intensity reductions. However, these did
not find approval of US government neither at home nor at international
level.
Environment &
Biodiversity: The paradigm change
Over the last century,
population, market pressures and the development of new agricultural
technologies have encouraged patterns of agricultural development
tending towards agricultural intensification (i.e. increasing scales of
monoculture production, intensive mechanical tillage, irrigation, and
the use of synthetic fertilizer, pest control agents and a restricted
diversity of crop and livestock varieties), often leading to natural
resources degradation. The growing food demand by a wealthier and larger
global population is expected to induce further encroachment of
agriculture on unmodified ecosystems (10 billion hectares by 2050), with
inevitable negative impact on biodiversity (WEHAB, 2002).
The majority of the
human population increase is expected to take place in the
biodiversity-rich developing countries of the tropics (e.g. the
Caribbean, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and the Western Ghats of India),
where 19 out of 21 regions of concentrated biodiversity ("biodiversity
hot-spots") and human population in these areas is increasing faster
than anywhere else). These areas of high population growth (many of
which lie adjacent to protected areas) are also experiencing rapid
changes towards urbanization where demand for agricultural products is
expected to increase as income levels in these areas rise. The
anticipated result of such demographic changes is that increased
production pressures will be placed on both the wild lands and the
agricultural production systems in and around protected areas.
A recent news item
“Climate change threatens India: study” based on a study undertaken by
Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad, TERI and NIO, Goa revealed
that Teak and Sal forests may dry out due to higher temperatures, the
production of wheat, rice and other major crops could fall and monsoon
rainfall will rise, with a drastic impact of climate change in India. It
said that 85 percent of India's forests will change due to climate
change by 2030-2100 and that rising sea levels will impact coastal
railways, roads, major river basin ecology, and rainfall. They also
found that incidents of malaria could increase and climate change could
introduce malaria in new areas. The NIO, Goa study clearly showed that
"the southern peninsular coast will be the most vulnerable to sea level
rise". They also observed that there could be large-scale loss of
biodiversity. There will be large increase in net primary productivity"
but "unique forest systems could suffer irreversible damage” (http://www.biodiv.org/headlines.aspx).
Reports like this need a serious look into the management practices at
local, regional, national and international level. Biological diversity
- or biodiversity - is the term given to the variety of life on Earth.
The biodiversity we see today is the result of billions of years of
evolution, shaped by natural processes and, increasingly, by the
influence of humans.
CBD
&
Environment: Holistic approach
The Brundtland
Commission established the conceptual link between biodiversity and
sustainable development, reflecting a process of thought and
international dialogue that led to the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Recognizing the
fundamental role of biodiversity in supporting human life, the
Convention on Biological Diversity, a legally binding landmark treaty,
was opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit and entered into force
in 1993. Among the existing global biodiversity-related agreements, it
was the first to cover all aspects of biodiversity and to acknowledge
the role of biodiversity in sustainable development. The Convention
presently has 188 members, reflecting nearly universal participation.
The three main objectives of the Convention the conservation of
biodiversity; the sustainable use of its components; and the fair and
equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of
genetic resources are reflected in the text of the Convention, which
contains both substantive commitments and provisions for the
establishment of a framework for implementation.
SECOND GLOBAL
BIODIVERSITY OUTLOOK
meeting is scheduled
in a few days. 2010 Biodiversity Targets have been proposed in
the provisional agenda. It has been realized that there is a threat to
biodiversity from human activities. It has been reaffirmed that
biodiversity is the living foundation for sustainable development, that
the rate of loss is still accelerating, that threats must be addressed,
and that the Convention remains a key tool for sustainable development.
For these reasons, the Conference of the Parties adopted a Strategic
Plan, in which Parties committed themselves to a more effective and
coherent implementation of the three objectives of the Convention in
order to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of
biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level, as a
contribution to poverty alleviation and for the greater benefit of all
life on earth. In order to achieve the Strategic Plan, and its 2010
biodiversity target, this plan has been proposed in the agenda to
develop a framework. The focal areas are:
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1) |
Reducing the rate of loss of the components of
biodiversity, including: |
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(i) |
Biomes, habitats and ecosystems; |
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(ii) |
Species and populations; and |
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(iii) |
Genetic diversity; |
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2) |
Promoting sustainable use of biodiversity; |
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3) |
Addressing the major threats to biodiversity,
including those arising from invasive alien species, climate
change, pollution, and habitat change; |
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4) |
Maintaining
ecosystem integrity, and the provision of goods and services
provided by biodiversity in ecosystems, in support of human
well-being; |
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5) |
Protecting traditional knowledge, innovations and
practices; |
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6) |
Ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of
benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources; and; |
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7) |
Mobilizing financial and technical resources,
especially for developing countries, in particular, least
developed countries and small island developing states among
them, and countries with economies in transition, for
implementing the Convention and the Strategic Plan. |
People are having a
major and growing impact on the biosphere, the long-term consequences of
which are feared by many but are in fact not at all well understood.
There are currently well over six billion people on the planet, and the
human population is expected to reach nine billion by mid-century. Each
person has the right to expect adequate food, clean water, safe shelter,
and energy, the provision of each of which has profound ecological
implications. Food must be grown on land or in water, water must be
clean to drink, shelter must be constructed from ecosystem-derived
materials, and energy must be harnessed from natural processes.
For the purposes of
assessing progress towards the target to achieve by 2010 a significant
reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss, biodiversity loss is
defined as the long-term or permanent qualitative or quantitative
reduction in components of biodiversity and their potential to provide
goods and services, to be measured at global, regional and national
levels (decision VII/30, paragraph 2). The “current” rate is taken to be
the rate in 2002, when the Strategic Plan was adopted.
This minimum demand is
massively amplified however, by the wasteful consumption of resources
over and above the level needed to meet basic human needs. This growing
demand for luxury products among a relatively small segment of the world
population is leading to a greater loss of biodiversity, with
consequences for all. As biodiversity is lost, the provision of
ecosystem goods and services may also be undermined, with a negative
effect on human well-being. Recently, the Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment concluded that of the ecosystem services it assessed, and
that make a direct contribution to human well-being 15 of 24 were in
decline.
Biodiversity loss can
have indirect effects on human well-being as well. By disrupting
ecosystem function, biodiversity loss leads to ecosystems that are less
resilient, more vulnerable to shocks and disturbances, and less able to
supply humans with needed services. The damage to coastal communities
from floods and storms, for example, increases dramatically following
conversion of wetland habitats, as the natural protection offered by
these ecosystems including regulation of water run-off is compromised.
Recent natural disasters in Asia and North America serve to underline
this reality.
The real costs of
biodiversity loss are already recognized to pose a significant barrier
to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Yet many
of the actions that could be implemented most quickly to promote
economic growth and reduce hunger and poverty for example,
intensification of agriculture, or conversion of forests are harmful to
biodiversity, and would undermine the long-term sustainability of any
development gains. Recognizing the trade-offs and synergies that exist
between poverty alleviation and biodiversity conservation will therefore
be essential to achieving many of the targets of the MDGs.
Trends & progress
towards the 2010 biodiversity target
Biodiversity indicators
Biodiversity
indicators are information tools, summarizing data on complex
environmental issues. They can be used to assess national performance
and to signal key issues to be addressed through policy interventions
and other actions. Indicators, therefore, are important for monitoring
the status and trends of biological diversity and, in turn, feeding back
information on ways to continually improve the effectiveness of
biodiversity management programmes. Small sets of indicators that focus
on key issues are referred to as headline indicators, and when used to
assess national or global trends, build a bridge between the fields of
policy-making and science.
Focal area:
Reducing the rate of loss of the components of biodiversity,
including:
(i) biomes, habitats and ecosystems; (ii) species and populations; and
(iii) genetic diversity
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Trends in extent
of selected biomes, ecosystems and habitats
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Trends in
abundance and distribution of selected species Change in status of
threatened species
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Trends in genetic
diversity of domesticated animals, cultivated plants, and fish
species of major socio-economic importance Coverage of protected
areas
Focal area:
Maintaining ecosystem integrity, and the provision of goods and services
provided by biodiversity in ecosystems, in support of human well-being
Focal area:
Addressing the major threats to biodiversity, including those arising
from invasive alien species, climate change, pollution, and habitat
change
Focal area:
Promoting sustainable use of biodiversity
Focal area:
Protecting traditional knowledge, innovations, and practices
Focal area:
Ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the
use of genetic resources Indicator to be developed
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Perhaps even more
difficult than the identification and development of indicators on
traditional knowledge is to develop such indicators on the status of
access and benefit-sharing, the third objective of the Convention.
Few countries have legislation in place on access to genetic
resources and the sharing of benefits arising out of their
utilization and established procedures to enforce this legislation.
As the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-Sharing
develops options for an International Regime on Access and
Benefit-Sharing, it will also consider ways to assess the degree to
which this objective is achieved and seek to develop appropriate
indicators.
Trends in invasive
alien species
Ecosystems that are
out of balance - for example as a consequence of fertilization/eutrophication
- are particularly vulnerable to the establishment and spreading of
non-native species, including pests and pathogens. Such invasive alien
species can have devastating impacts on native biota, causing
extinctions and impacting on valuable economic species. Invasive species
can transform the structure and species composition of ecosystems by
repressing or excluding native species. In the recent past,
the rate and risk
associated with alien species introductions have increased enormously
because human population growth and human activities altering the
environment have escalated rapidly, combined with the higher likelihood
of species being spread as a result of increased travel, trade and
tourism. A major source of marine introductions of alien species is hull
fouling and the release of ballast water from ships, although other
vectors, such aquaculture, and aquarium releases, are also important,
and less well regulated than ballast water.
Conclusion
On the basis of the
information available to date a common message emerges: that
biodiversity is in decline at all levels and geographical scales, but
targeted response options whether through protected areas, or resource
management and pollution prevention programmes - can reverse this trend
for specific habitats or species.
There should be no
illusions. Achieving the 2010 biodiversity target requires not only a
redoubling of efforts, but a firm commitment to act according to the
priorities identified through the Strategic Plan. The conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity need to become an integral element of
planning, policy, and practice for all economic and social sectors of
society. We all derive benefits from biodiversity, and will all suffer
from its loss. We do need to acknowledge however that failure to deal
with biodiversity loss will burden the poor disproportionately. Proof of
the compassion and care of the global community for the poor can be
shown by ensuring that the basis for their livelihoods is conserved,
used sustainably and the benefits shared equitably. These are heavy
commitments. The burden however can be lessened and synergy realized at
all levels through cooperation and the contribution of all. |
