Biodiversity

The loss of biodiversity directly affects human well-being yet human activities drive biodiversity loss. These resources are not limited to charismatic animals or rare plants. The loss of natural resources and biodiversity threatens our food supplies, sources of medicine, timber and construction materials.

In 2002 the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development agreed to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss worldwide by 2010. Despite all the efforts the Third Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO) has concluded that the target has not been met. The GBO identifies the main drivers as: habitat change; overexploitation; pollution; invasive alien species; and climate change.

Convention on Biological Diversity

Many international treaties aim to slow down biodiversity loss, the most high profile being the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). The convention can only be effective if it is implemented and enforced in tandem with other international environmental agreements (for example, those that cover climate change, deforestation or fisheries) and if it addresses the links between biodiversity and human well-being, including poverty reduction and health.

FIELD lawyers have been actively involved in the international efforts to reduce biodiversity loss for many years. For example, FIELD has assisted Pacific Island countries, civil society organisations and indigenous peoples in the negotiations under the CBD.

With the support of The Christensen Fund FIELD has been able to provide advice and assistance to Pacific Island countries on for example the negotiations related to access and benefit-sharing under the CBD.

Projects and papers

In May 2010 FIELD staff trained negotiators from South African Development Cooperation countries at a workshop in Botswana. The workshop prepared for the next major meeting related to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which will take place in October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan - read more.

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