[square brackets] CBD Newsletter for Civil Society Issue 3 | May 2010

This edition is published to coincide with the Fourteenth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 14), 10-21 May in Nairobi, Kenya; followed by the Third Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open- ended Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention (WGRI 3), being held in Nairobi 24-28 May.

This newsletter aims to present a diversity of civil society opinions. The views expressed in the articles are the views of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, its Secretariat or the CBD Alliance

Silvia Ribeiro from the ETC Group in Copenhagen during the climate meetings (Photo courtesy Diana Bronson/ETC Group) Critical decisions ahead Geoengineering: Moving Cautiously In this International Year of Biodiversity, the fourteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on towards a Bolder, Broader Test Ban Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice and COP 10 will be faced with critical deci- sions on geoengineering. The fundamental By Silvia Ribeiro, ETC Group geoengineering in general, not only on issue before the international community is the particulars of ocean fertilization. These whether these technologies should be under- n a laudable exercise of precaution at the last include an upsurge of popular and scientific taken as a response to the climate crisis or, Conference of the Parties (COP) in Bonn in media coverage, prestigious publications rather, whether their potential risks outweigh 2008, Parties to the Convention on Biological looking favourably upon geoengineering as any theoretical benefits that they may have as I 3 Diversity (CBD) adopted a de facto moratorium Plan B, a number of statements adopted by “climate change solutions.” The implications on ocean fertilization.1 The wisdom of that deci- institutions and professional societies,4 joint for human rights, for biodiversity, for peace sion was reaffirmed most recently by a study Parliamentary and Congressional hearings in and security, and for international relations showing that dumping iron in the ocean can the United Kingdom and the United States, writ large are vast. It is urgent that the United provoke toxic blooms and neurological disor- debates in other international bodies such as Nations (UN) be prepared to prevent unilat- ders in marine mammals.2 the London Convention, a number of emerg- eral actions on the part of countries that have ing companies anxious to get in on the mar- the will and the means to execute geoengin- In the two years since COP 9 there has been ket, and non-profits keen to maintain existing eering strategies independent of international a flurry of developments and debates on governance loopholes. continued on page 2

Sobrevivencia/Friends of the Earth- Kabir Bavikatte, and Harry Jonas...... 9 Monitoring Centre; with input in this issue Paraguay and Global Forest Coalition.... 5 from Damon Stanwell-Smith, Peter Geoengineering: Moving Cautiously Taking a Community Biodiversity Twenty Percent of Biological Diversity Herkenrath, Philip Bubb and towards a Bolder, Broader Test Ban Management Approach to ABS at Risk in Africa By Dr. Kenneth Odero, Anna Chenery...... 11 By Silvia Ribeiro, ETC Group ...... 1 in Local Communities: The Nepal Executive Director, Climate XL Africa . .... 7 Experience By Bikash Paudel, Pitambar Community Actions for Global Mobilizing all Stakeholders in the Impact By Ana Maria Varea, National Global Strategy for Plant Conservation Shrestha, B B Tamang and Pratap Shrestha. Fight for Biodiversity, Message from Coordinator, Small Grants Programme, and Private Sector Engagement By Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Ecuador...... 12 Convention on Biological Diversity... 2 Britta Paetzold, TRAFFIC/WWF Germany, and Development (LI-BIRD), Pokhara, Nepal ...... 10 Perspectives Q&A, Promoting the Time for Bold and Ambitious and Anastasiya Timoshyna, TRAFFIC Europe ...... 8 exchange of viewpoints on the 2010 New Biodiversity Target and How the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Biodiversity Target and the way Strategic Plan, Message from the A Rights-based Approach to Partnership Communicates its forward for both the Convention CBD Alliance...... 3 Supporting Indigenous and Message across Sectors, By Tristan and in setting new biodiversity From REDD “Realities” to REDD Community Conserved Areas Tyrrell, 2010 Biodiversity Indicators targets...... 14 “Absurdities” By Simone Lovera, By Holly Shrumm, Barbara Lassen, Partnership, UNEP World Conservation

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Geoengineering Mobilizing all Stakeholders in continued from page 1 the Fight for Biodiversity agreements. Any decision governing these technologies must be based on a solid multi- lateral agreement as the impacts will, by defin- ition, be global—and inequitable. From the and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-14) and Secretariat: the third meeting of the Working Group on There have already been attempts to develop Message from Review of Implementation of the Convention “voluntary guidelines” for research and exper- Ahmed Djoghlaf, (WGRI-3), being held in Nairobi in May 2010. imentation of these technologies. The non- Executive Secretary, The new Strategic Plan has attempted to profit Climate Response Fund, closely linked Convention on improve on the previous plan in two key with commercial ocean fertilization interests, Biological Diversity ways. Firstly, by providing a mission and tar- met with significant opposition when it tried gets for 2020 that are both achievable and to self-regulate the .5 Moreover, some nly through the involvement and more measureable, with a clear underlying prominent scientists working on these tech- full engagement of all stakehold- logic consistent with the available scientific nologies actually believe a UN process should O ers can we achieve the goals of the evidence, including a scientific review of bio- be avoided,6 while certain think tanks argue Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and diversity projections prepared for the third that no international agreement whatsoever halt the alarming loss of biodiversity. Despite edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook. is required.7 The CBD’s near universal ratifica- some success stories, we have failed to meet Secondly, by providing a more effective tion, its capacity to include social impacts as the target set by governments in 2002 to framework, which includes national tar- it undertakes to protect biodiversity and its reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity. We need gets, for national implementation of the niche contribution to climate change debates a new way of doing business, a new think- three objectives of the Convention, appro- equips it well to play an important role. It is ing, and a new approach for preparing, agree- priate support mechanisms and a more vital that the 2008 moratorium on ocean fer- ing and implementing together the new robust approach to monitoring and review tilization be strengthened and broadened Strategic Plan of the Convention for the period at both national and global levels, as well to cover other geoengineering technologies 2011‑2020: a plan that includes a 2050 biodi- as an enhanced role for the COP in review- threatening biodiversity at a global scale. versity vision, 2020 targets and sub‑targets, as ing implementation and learning from past well as means of implementation and moni- experience. Geoengineering is different from other toring and evaluation mechanisms. As under- technological interventions on ecosys- lined by the United Nations Secretary-General, “Non-governmental organizations are tems in that, by definition, it is intended to Ban Ki-moon, putting off critical decisions until integral partners in moving forward, have impacts at the planetary scale. It is later is no longer an option for humanity. the antithesis of small and local initiatives as they played a leading role in the that promote adapting to climate change At the tenth meeting of the Conference of initial conception, negotiation and by strengthening resilience or modifying the Parties to the CBD (COP 10) in Nagoya, adoption of the Convention and continue behaviour. Whether one intends to suck car- Japan, the 193 Parties to the CBD will make a bon dioxide out of the atmosphere by stim- final assessment of progress toward the 2010 to shape policy development” ulating the growth of phytoplankton (that

Biodiversity Target, create new biodiversity will in turn sequester excess CO2 on the bot- targets for 2020 and 2050, finalize a com- Of utmost importance to the Convention is tom of the sea) or shoot sulphates into the prehensive post-2010 Strategic Plan, and the mobilization of all sectors of society in stratosphere in order to reflect more sun- establish an international regime on access the fight to preserve our biological resources. light back to space (masking the warm- and benefit-sharing. All of this is being done Civil society and non-governmental organ- ing effect of increased greenhouse gases), using a bottom-up approach, with the par- izations are integral partners in moving for- these schemes can only theoretically affect ticipation of a broad range of stakehold- ward. NGOs played a leading role in the initial the climate if executed on a massive scale. ers, including youth, indigenous and local conception, negotiation and adoption of the Experiments need to be large-scale and that authorities, mayors, parliamentarians, the Convention and continue to shape policy makes the passage from theory to practice— private sector, and development coopera- development. They are also constant partners the actual proof of principle—a critical issue tive agencies. in its implementation. Together we can work for governments and civil society organiza- towards shaping a better and healthier future tions interested in biodiversity. Revisions to the draft Strategic Plan that for our planet and for ourselves. In this the emerged from the sixth UN/Norway International Year of Biodiversity, we have an There are already multiple geoengineer- Trondheim Conference on Biodiversity form unprecedented opportunity to raise under- ing technologies on the brink of develop- the basis for the consideration of the new standing of the importance of biodiversity to ment and precaution is thrown to the wind. Strategic Plan and related targets and indi- our lives, our future, and our resolve to act. Let Commercial schemes underway include cators by the fourteenth meeting of the us not waste this opportunity. Biodiversity is ocean-mixing (using huge pumps to bring Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical life, biodiversity is our life. [sb] continued on page 4

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Time for Bold and Ambitious New Biodiversity Target and Strategic Plan

From the CBD “If governments really Alliance: Message from Friedrich Wulf, take the issues as serious Coordinator of as they say, they should the Biodiversity set ambitious targets working group of the German NGO Forum for the period up to Environment and Development, 2020 and undertake Head, International Biodiversity every effort towards Policy—Friends of the Earth Europe, CBD Alliance Board Member achieving them.”

(www.cbdalliance.org) Coral reef — safeguards needed (Photo courtesy The Tourism Development Company Limited of Trinidad and Tobago)

010 is a key year for biodiversity and economic value lost annually by deforestation We should see that financial capacity and humankind. As recently reported in the and forest degradation alone is estimated at the means to implement the Convention 2third edition of the Global Biodiversity 2 to 4.5 trillion US$ annually. Biodiversity has are increased, that financial incentives sup- Outlook, we have not succeeded in reach- been attested to have a major contribution port biodiversity and drivers like the North’s ing the target agreed by our governments in to poverty alleviation, climate change miti- agricultural policy and its demands for bio- 2002 to significantly reduce the rate of biodi- gation and other basic ecosystem services we fuels, meat and other products that contrib- versity loss as a contribution to poverty alle- depend upon. The scientific community and ute to rainforest destruction are reduced. viation and to the benefit of all life on earth. the world’s leaders have underlined biodiversi- As failed implementation of the Convention It is the year of taking stock, analyzing why ty’s paramount importance at the G8 meetings and the National Biodiversity Strategies and we didn’t get there and using the lessons and several occasions during the last year, say- Action Plans (NBSAPs) are one of the main learned in forging a new strategy to guide ing that tackling biodiversity loss was equally reasons for not having achieved the 2010 tar- the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) important as combating climate change. get, SBSTTA needs to decide upon clear and policy for the next decade and reaching our measurable targets and a robust monitoring goal by 2020. With the consequences of biodiversity loss framework. this dire, there is no choice but to do as much Opinions have been voiced to not be too as we can to halt it. If governments really take Of course, the CBD or environmental policy alone ambitious for setting the next mission and tar- the issues as serious as they say, they should cannot solve these problems—biodiversity needs gets but rather set up “realistic” and “achieva- set ambitious targets for the period up to to be mainstreamed everywhere. However, a ble” goals. There is a fear that the CBD would 2020 and undertake every effort towards strong call should emanate from the CBD to other make a fool of itself if it failed again. achieving them. conventions like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Such thinking reflects little faith in the Parties’ The fourteenth meeting of the Subsidiary other sectors like trade and agricultural policy to joint capability to change the existing pres- Body for Scientific, Technical and Techno- collaborate and support the CBD’s targets in their sures on eco­systems. True, one of these pres- logical Advice (SBSTTA 14) and the third work. In this sense, civil society hopes SBSTTA will sures is climate change, a process that cannot meeting of the Third Meeting of the Ad Hoc develop clear calls upon these to integrate the be halted quickly even if we manage to freeze Open-ended Working Group on Review of needs of biodiversity into their decisions. greenhouse gas levels. However, the four other Implementation of the CBD (WGRI 3) are key factors presented in the Millennium Ecosystem milestones to do this, and the strategic plan is Civil society will be an active participant in the Assessment (habitat change, pollution, especially vital. We need to aim at really halt- SBSTTA and WGRI discussions. As a civil society overexploi­tation and invasive species) all have ing the loss by 2020, not just to take some representative, I hope this conference will sug- had significantly more and bigger impacts so action. We need to restore it wherever possi- gest a bold and ambitious new biodiversity tar- far, and it is possible to reduce these other pres- ble, taking developed countries’ footprint on get and strategic plan that will strengthen the sure which are in our hands and so also reduce other countries into account. SBSTTA should Convention and all of its three targets. [sb] the climate-change induced impacts on biodi- recommend that the Conference of the Par- versity—if there is enough will to do this. ties (COP) put an end to deforestation, forest (Please note, these comments do not reflect a con- degradation, nutrient loading and overfishing sensus of civil society on the post-2010 target and Biodiversity loss is still happening at an and ensure all other ecosystems are equally the draft strategic plan, but rather the views of alarming rate of three species per hour. The safeguarded. Friedrich Wulf, board member for the CBD Alliance)

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Geoengineering “Vital that the 2008 moratorium on ocean fertilization be strengthened and broadened continued from page 3 to cover other geoengineering technologies threatening biodiversity globally” up deep waters to the surface)8; adding lime- stone to affect the alkalinity of the water9; cannot be allowed under the guise of scien- pnas.0910579107. See also Nature, 461, 347-348 (17 September 2009) | doi:10.1038/461347a; Published adding urea or iron to provoke algae growth tific experimentation. online 16 September 2009. Also Aaron Strong, Sallie 10 (ocean fertilization) ; pumping seawater into Chisholm, Charles Miller & John Cullen, “Ocean the clouds11; redirecting hurricanes by manip- For this reason, ETC Group, with international Fertilization: Time to Move On,” Nature 461, 347-348 12 (17 September 2009) | doi:10.1038/461347a; Published ulating surface waters . The consequences of partners, recently launched the H.O.M.E cam- online 16 September 2009. these technologies on marine biodiversity, paign, “Hands off Mother Earth—Our Home is 3 For example, see UK Royal Society, Geoengineering and their long-term effects are almost too not a laboratory” (www.handsoffmotherearth. the Climate: Science, Governance and Uncertainty, September 2009. devastating to imagine. We cannot reduce our org) which asks people to lend us a hand in 4 For example, the American Meteorological Society oceans and our lands to massive carbon sinks. stopping dangerous and unilateral attempts Statement on Geoengineering the Climate System, to experiment with our climate system. available at www.ametsoc.org/POLICY/2009geoengin Consolidate moratorium eeringclimate_amsstatement.html 5 For example, Open letter Opposing Asilomar It is one thing to test chemical interactions It would be a betrayal of the CBD mandate if Geoengineering Conference at www.etcgroup.org/ in the laboratory or model climate change such tests were allowed to go ahead before en/node/5080 6 David Keith, for one, has argued specifically against get- on computers. Those have been going on for the international community had a chance ting the UN involved before the UK Geoengineering decades. It is quite another to unleash geo- to examine the consequences and agree on Governance hearings. engineering experiments in the real world. a strategy. The CBD in Nagoya must adopt a 7 See Lee Lane, Geoengineering Experiments Should Not Require Global Agreement, The Enterprise Blog, Just as the CBD put the brakes on ocean fer- firm moratorium on the experimentation of 30 March 2010, available at http://blog.american. tilization two years ago, the same precaution all geoengineering climate technologies until com/?p=11895 needs to be exercised on the other technolo- there are comprehensive and solid studies 8 www.atmocean.com 9 This is the project of the open source company gies that have picked up momentum just as cli- and until a multilateral understanding and Cquestrate, funded by Shell. www.cquestrate.com. mate change negotiations are losing it. Given decision is reached on whether or not geo- 10 For example Climos, a San Francisco company at www. the emerging scientific consensus that ocean engineering is a path that the community of climos.com or the Australian Ocean Nourishment Corporation at www.oceannourishment.com. iron fertilization is not an effective strategy for nations can accept. 11 The preparation of this technology for experimenta- tackling climate change, the 2008 moratorium tion/deployment is reportedly being developed by needs to be consolidated and those who vio- The CBD must actively call for and participate a new “non-profit”, Silver Lining, run by entrepreneur Kelly Wasner. See Jim Giles, Hacking the Planet: Who late it—including those States that support the in that international debate, ensuring thereby Decides? In New Scientist, 29 March 2010 available at moratorium at the CBD but then argue some- that biodiversity protection is properly fac- www.newscientist.com/article/dn18713-hacking-the- thing else in other venues—must be con- tored into the deliberations. [sb] planet-who-decides.html. 12 The involvement of Bill Gates and Nathan Myhrvold, demned in the strongest possible terms. along with a number of prominent geoengineering 1 The operative part of the decision reads: “requests Parties scientists recently garnered some controversial press. and urges other Governments, in accordance with the 13 See Bill Gates Hurrican-Fighting Invention at www. Recently, American meteorologist Alan precautionary approach, to ensure that ocean fertilization huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/16/bill-gates-envisions- activities do not take place until there is an adequate sci- Robock persuasively argued that the only way figh_n_235527.html entific basis on which to justify such activities, including to test whether or not sulphates in the strato- 13 Alan Robock, Martin Bunzl, Ben Kravitz, Georgiy L. assessing associated risks, and a global, transparent and Stenchikov, “A Test for Geoengineering?” Science, 29 sphere would have the desired cooling effect effective control and regulatory mechanism is in place January 2010, Vol. 327. no. 5965, pp. 530-31. See also for these activities; with the exception of small scale sci- would be through actual deployment. There ETC Group Press Release, Top-Down Planet Hackers call entific research studies within coastal waters. Such stud- is no such thing as a small-scale geoengineer- for Bottom-up Governance, 11 February 2010, www.etc- ies should only be authorized if justified by the need to group.org/en/node/5073 ing experiment, he argued. Deployment, he gather specific scientific data, and should also be subject 14 A critical overview of the different technologies can to a thorough prior assessment of the potential impacts underlined, carries extremely high risks; for be found in Retooling the Planet: Climate Change in a of the research studies on the marine environment, and example, the disruption of African and Asian Geoengineering Age. This ETC Group booklet, published be strictly controlled, and not be used for generating and by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, is avail- monsoons. This would have a serious impact selling carbon offsets or any other commercial purpos- able at www.etcgroup.org/en/node/4966 on the food supplies of up to two billion peo- es.” See COP 9, Decision IX/16, Biodiversity and Climate ple, not to mention other unpredictable local Change: www.cbd.int/decision/cop/?id=11659 2 Charles Trick et al., Iron Enrichment Stimulates Toxic consequences on biodiversity. Quite sim- Diatom Production in High Nitrate, Low-Chlorophyll ply, deployment of geoengineering schemes Areas, PNAS 2010 107 (13) 5887-5892; doi:10.1073/

WHAT IS GEOENGINEERING? Geoengineering is the large-scale intentional manipulation of the Earth’s systems (includ- ing the oceans, soils and atmosphere) often advocated as a response to climate change. Geoengineering strategies include technologies to capture and sequester excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, managing the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth, and intentional weather modification projects such as hurricane redirection.14

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(Photo courtesy UNEP) From REDD “Realities” to REDD Absurdities

Is REDD merely a perverse incentive that triggers further deforestation and denial of community rights?

By Simone Lovera, Sobrevivencia as it had already failed to adopt the necessary small countries on the night of 18 December / Friends of the Earth—Paraguay domestic framework for such commitments; 2009 certainly gave observers a “The Mouse and Global Forest Coalition and other developed countries were unwill- that Roared” feeling. “We are not going to ing to sign a deal without the US. betray our people for 30 pieces of silver,” COP flop – that is probably the impres- responded the representative of Tuvalu to sion that the 15th session of the In this light, most people in the climate justice the suggestion that the Copenhagen Accord AConference of the Parties to the United movement had already indicated that they should be accepted because it included some Nations Framework Convention on Climate preferred no deal above a bad deal, as it was commitments for modest financial support Change in Copenhagen, Denmark, left in the feared that a bad deal would lock the world to the countries that are most affected by minds of most citizens of this planet. What into an international agreement far too weak climate change. So, instead of ending in yet was presented by some as “the last chance to halt climate change, and one that would another vague agreement that might have to save the planet” ended in deep and bitter remove the legal and political pressure for a been a proper reflection of political realities chaos on the night of 18 December 2009. This better deal. This was the reason why so many but was an offense to scientific reality, there is tragic news for humanity, and also tragic civil society actions, including in particular the is still a chance that the climate negotiations news for the world’s biodiversity, as climate ‘Reclaim the Power’ action of 16 December, will culminate in a good deal, perhaps, hope- change is rapidly becoming the number one tried to convince the countries most affected fully, in December 2011. cause of global biodiversity loss. not to accept a weak agreement that would fail to halt climate change. For people working on policies and incen- But one can also look at the results of tives to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation Copenhagen in a more positive way. Most In this light, the results of Copenhagen and forest Degradation (REDD), the rejection insiders had already warned months ahead could also be seen as a great victory. The of the Copenhagen Accord was a victory too, that there were only two realistic outcomes to Copenhagen Summit can be considered a tri- as the vaguely formulated REDD paragraph the summit: a bad deal or no deal at all. As the umph of multilateralism over an exceptionally did not include any reference to the rights of Global Forest Coalition wrote in its newsletter bad deal brokered by a select number of pow- indigenous peoples or to the need to avoid Forest Cover in November 2009, Copenhagen erful states – the Copenhagen Accord. the massive replacement of forests by mono- was a ‘Chronicle of a Death Foretold.’ The culture tree plantations. But these references main reason was that the greatest polluter of The mouse that roared were included in the formal draft REDD nego- all, the United States, was not in a position to The way this Copenhagen Accord was suc- tiation text that will now, hopefully, form take on any firm legally binding commitments cessfully rejected by a number of relatively continued on page 6

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continued from page 5 “REDD a threat to good forest governance REDD, are being squarely ignored by govern- the basis for further negotiations within the rather than a positive incentive” ments rushing to put REDD into practice. framework of the Climate Convention. From a positive point of view, the safeguards that countries that have good legal frameworks in As a result, REDD “realities” are already turning were included in this draft REDD negotiation place and/or indigenous peoples and com- into REDD absurdities. Brazil received no less text are more detailed and advanced than munities that are engaged in protecting their than $US150 million from the Norwegian gov- many had thought possible when negotia- forests, tend to have low deforestation rates. ernment to reduce deforestation in 2010. Yet, tions started in 2007. This means that these countries are not inter- less than three months after Copenhagen the esting for REDD donors, including donors like government has given the go ahead to one However, the REDD reality is very different Norway and France who have recently started of the most destructive dams it has ever built, from this seemingly sympathetic draft text. an informal ‘fast start’ REDD process, neatly the Belo Monte dam, which will destroy 500 As demonstrated by a report by the Global side-stepping nasty little mice in the climate square kilometers of forests and indigenous Forest Coalition on “REDD realities” in 12 dif- negotiations who might ask for complicated territories. The very definition of “forests” in ferent countries1 that was launched at the things like environmental integrity. the Marrakesh Accords used under the Kyoto Copenhagen Summit, the reality is that what Protocol allows for absurdities. This definition is happening on the ground depends on the Donors prefer countries with even includes “temporarily un-stocked areas”, national legal framework already in place in high deforestation rates that is, areas that are clear cut but that will be different countries. In the handful of countries Donors prefer to focus on countries with high replanted again at an unspecified date. With where indigenous peoples’ rights are relatively deforestation rates, like Brazil, Indonesia and the result, for example, that until in the face respected and forest policy is focused on for- the Democratic Republic of Congo. This pref- of significant pressure by civil society it with- est conservation instead of the promotion of erence for a small number of large countries drew the proposal, Indonesia had proposed tree plantations, it might be pos- confirm fears that REDD, especially REDD out- to recognize oil palm plantations as ‘forests’2 sible to fund some real system of policies and side the framework of a multilaterally guided so that it could receive REDD funding for con- incentives that effectively supports indigenous financial mechanism, will lead to highly ineq- verting peatlands (perhaps the most carbon- peoples and local communities in their efforts uitable outcomes (as well as the leakage of rich ecosystem in the world) into oil palm to protect and restore their forests. deforestation activities to other non-REDD plantations. countries). It also demonstrates that the However the REDD proposals on the table many demands and cautions by indigenous Even in countries like India, that have a rel- are actually about something else—reducing peoples and NGOs that “Rights should come atively good system of forest governance deforestation and compensating those cur- before REDD”, and that good governance and in place from a legal perspective, REDD is a rently engaged in deforestation - and those combating corruption are a pre-condition for threat to this legislation rather than a posi- tive incentive. After all, in countries where the rights of indigenous peoples and local com- munities are recognized, the government might lose out if these communities are com- pensated directly for their forest conservation efforts. No wonder then that the government of Papua New Guinea, as one of its first REDD policy actions, prohibited its local commu- nities from claiming any rights regarding the carbon value of their forests, neglecting the fact that 90% of these forests are legally owned by those communities.

So, when the Convention on Biological Diversity discusses incentive systems at its upcoming meeting of the Conference of the Parties in October 2010, it should include a discussion on REDD as a perverse incentive that actually triggers further deforestation and denial of community rights. [sb]

1 www.globalforestcoalition.org/img/userpics/File/ publications/REDD-Realities.pdf 2 www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/02/16/palm- estate-forest-says-ministry.html

Flower from Trinidad and Tobago (Photo courtesy The Tourism Development Company Limited of Trinidad and Tobago)

Let’s save paper! Please consider reading on-screen. May 2010 Issue 3 | Page 7

Twenty Percent of Biological Diversity at Risk in Africa

Challenge of reversing pattern of resource overexploitation daunting, but there is hope

By Dr. Kenneth Odero, Executive Nations Convention to Combat Desertification effects of climate change. The Biodiversity Director, Climate XL Africa (UNCCD) developed proposals for the integra- Strategy and Action Plan therefore should, tion of climate change considerations within for example clearly set out a series of adap- frica, according to the 2008 World the programme of work on the biodiversity of tation strategies and actions to minimize Economic Forum Report Africa @ Risk: dry and sub-humid lands, and proposed ele- negative impacts of climate change on bio- Aa Global Risk Network Briefing, contains ments for a joint work programme between diversity and maximize the capacity of spe- about 20% of all known species of plants, the three Rio Conventions on biodiversity, cli- cies and ecosystems to adapt in the future. mammals and birds, and 15%of amphib- mate change and land degradation. However, a national biodiversity plan ought ians and reptiles. Biodiversity in Africa is to consider all major ecosystems since it has under threat from climate change and other Little implementation been shown that global warming and the stresses. The Intergovernmental Panel in Considering the vulnerability of biodiversity subsequent events of climate variability and Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that contin- to climate change, it is disquieting that less change may have even greater repercussions ued increase in greenhouse gases (GHGs) will than one-fifth of the Parties who submitted for marine ecosystems than for terrestrial put 75 to 250 million more Africans at risk their fourth national reports reported on cli- ecosystems, because temperature influences of water stress by 2025. This loss of freshwa- mate change activities specifically targeted at water column stability, nutrient enrichment, ter also threatens biodiversity and exacer- the biodiversity of dry and sub-humid lands, and changes in the biodiversity of plankton bates desertification: arid and semi-arid lands and that none reported on activities related communities and its reproductive cycles. are likely to increase by up to eight per cent. to climate change activities specifically within Tourism, much of which is based on nature, dry forests let alone develop national biodi- A wake up call is also likely to be hard hit with 25-40% of versity and climate change action plans. The Publication of the 2005 Millennium Ecosystem animal species in the national parks of Sub- Fourteenth Meeting of the Subsidiary Body Assessment was a turning point in the way we Saharan Africa set to become endangered. on Scientific, Technical and Technological think of ecosystem management. The report Advice (SBSTTA 14) should give strong rec- confirmed a substantial and largely irrevers- The role of ecosystem management ommendation to the Parties on the need to ible loss in the diversity of life on Earth with The integrated process to conserve and implement appropriate adaptation and miti- 20% of Earth’s land cover having been signif- improve ecosystem health that sustains eco- gation measures in the natural resource man- icantly degraded by human activity and 60% system services for human well-being (i.e., agement sector. Such action should start with of the planet’s assessed ecosystems already ecosystem management) has a central role the development of national and local biodi- damaged or threatened. But while the chal- in climate change adaptation and disaster versity plans. lenge of reversing this pattern of resource risk reduction (Figure 1). It is laudable that overexploitation is daunting, especially in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) The case for biodiversity Africa, new advances offer hope. The closer through its Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on strategy and action plans we come to achieving an accurate, holistic biodiversity and climate change has started The necessity of (National and Local) picture of the distribution of the ecosystem addressing the linkages between ecosystem Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans is costs, benefits, and trade-offs of our actions, management, climate change adaptation and premised on the recognition that biodiver- the better positioned we will be to formulate disaster risk reduction. sity is one of the key sectors sensitive to the responses. [sb]

According to its mandate, the Expert Group was to develop scientific and technical Ecosystem Management advice on biodiversity, in so far as it relates increases the resilience of ecosystems to climate change and decision 1/CP.13 of and communities to climate change the Conference of the Parties to the United impacts, protects them from disasters, Nations Framework Convention on Climate and sequestrates carbon Change (UNFCC) on the Bali Action Plan as well as the UNFCCC Nairobi work programme Climate Change Adaptation Disaster Risk Reduction on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to cli- increases the resilience of increases the resilience of ecosystems mate change so as to support the enhanced ecosystems to climate change impacts to disasters and complements climate implementation of synergies. Accordingly, the and supports disaster risk reduction change adaptation efforts Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on CBD had carried out an in-depth review of the work on biodiversity and climate change, in col- Figure 1: Central role of ecosystems in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation laboration with the Secretariat of the United (Source: UNEP, 2009)

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Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and Private Sector Engagement

FairWild certification vital for GSPC

By Britta Paetzold, TRAFFIC/ Plan for Pelargonium sidoides for South WWF Germany, and Anastasiya Africa and Lesotho and Cameroon’s National Timoshyna, TRAFFIC Europe Management Plan for Prunus africana.

trategies aiming to ensure conserva- The FWS presents sound principles and cri- tion of plant resources in the long term teria for sustainable wild collection based on Sincreasingly address the role of the pri- the GSPC and on current Access and Benefit- vate sector. Objective 5c of the Convention on Sharing (ABS) provisions, combining ecolog- Photo courtesy A. Timoshyna, TRAFFIC Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Global Strategy for ical, social and fair trade requirements. As a Plant Conservation (GSPC) focuses on the sus- unique tool for sustainable wild plant collec- commitments from buyer companies provide tainable use of plant diversity, the develop- tion and management, including responsi- the best argument to convince producers to ment of livelihoods based on sustainable use ble business practices, it provides a basis to adhere to standards like FairWild. Sustainable of plants and the promotion of the fair and ensure transparency and traceability along management approaches for wild plants as equitable sharing of benefits arising from the the trade chain from field to shelf. The option outlined in the CBD need a multi-level, multi- use of the plants. Instruments like the FairWild of third party certification under the FairWild stakeholder approach, involving different Standard (FWS) offer a concrete set of prin- label is especially interesting for the private actors from government, scientific and pri- ciples and criteria for companies and other sector and allows communities and busi- vate sectors. stakeholders to verify sustainable and ethi- nesses to confirm and communicate to the cal fair sourcing of plants from the wild and to public that their harvesting practices meet One such example is a FairWild implementa- promote the use of products made from them. the FWS criteria, and thereby also compliance tion project in Silves, Brazil, involving the com- The FWS thus provides an important approach with GSPC and ABS principles. munity-based organization AVIVE (www.avive. to help achieve GSPC Targets 3, 11, 12 and 13. org.br), which collects and processes wild We regard engagement of the private sector medicinal ingredients. An agreement has been The FairWild Standard is maintained and through either voluntary internal standards signed with a buyer company in Brazil inter- implemented by the FairWild Foundation, or FairWild certification as vital to support ested in the long-term procurement of FairWild a not-for-profit organization based in the GSPC. In the long-term, the commitment certified products. Within the project, mecha- Switzerland. The ecological part of the FWS of private sector actors to sustainable sourc- nisms for community-based resource man- represents the International Standard for ing practices is considered to be essential for agement and benefit-sharing agreements are Sustainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and strategies to conserve wild plant resources. being developed. In a participatory approach, Aromatic Plants (ISSC-MAP), developed by Implementation of the FWS principles, partic- responsible companies, government agen- TRAFFIC, WWF, the German Federal Agency ularly in the context of private sector engage- cies and academic experts work to establish a for Nature Conservation (BfN), the IUCN ment, supports GSPC by, for example, offering model for sustainable use of medicinal plants Medicinal Plants Specialist Group, together a tool to track achievements over time to that can be replicated throughout Amazonia. with other partners. The ISSC-MAP was high- implement GSPC Target 12 by measuring lighted in the 2007 Plant Conservation Report, increases in: Current FWS implementation projects are when reviewing the progress in implement- • Products meeting verifiable sustainable supported by TRAFFIC (www.traffic.org) and ing the GSPC for the CBD’s COP 9. In 2008 the wild collection criteria are expected to serve as models for future ISSC-MAP became part of the FWS through a • Companies and industry associations adopt- application of the Standard’s principles and merging of the two initiatives. ing codes of good practice that address the guidance documents. [sb] sustainable wild collection of plants. The ISSC-MAP Principles and Criteria have For more information: TRAFFIC is the Wildlife proven their usefulness in different govern- The number of companies interested in Trade Monitoring Network: www.traffic.org; ance scenarios on four continents through a FairWild Standard implementation and certifi- FairWild Standard (FWS): www.fairwild.org variety of projects, and provided input to the cation is growing, with the first certified prod- recent development of several national wild ucts already on the European Union, US and (Editorial Board: While voluntary initiatives such plant collection management approaches, Canadian markets. Experiences from commu- as FairWild Standards make an important con- such as the Standard for Good Field Collection nity-based projects aiming to improve income tribution, the importance of the need for indus- Practices of Medicinal Plants, elaborated options through sustainable use of wild tries and others sourcing plant samples to by the National Medicinal Plants Board of plant resources have shown the importance comply with domestic laws and the CBD provi- India (in print), a Biodiversity Management of market linkages. Support and purchase sions on ABS cannot be over emphasized.)

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A Rights-based Approach to Supporting Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas

Bio-cultural community protocols can help communities define and advocate for recognition of their roles in conserving biodiversity and ensure the local integrity of other environmental laws and policy

By Holly Shrumm, Barbara Lassen, effective participation of indigenous peoples ways. Communities then have increased capac- Kabir Bavikatte, and Harry Jonas and local communities based on their rights ities to call on duty bearers such as govern- and responsibilities (Target 2.2). ICCAs are also ment agencies to ensure that their rights are ommunities and international policy- recognized by the International Union for the respected and supported in decision-making makers alike are calling for the full and Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the processes that affect their lives. Ceffective participation of indigenous main types of governance for protected areas. peoples and local communities in the man- A variety of participatory tools can be used to agement of protected areas.1 Indigenous and “Communities also gain awareness develop community protocols, including role- Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs) may playing scenarios, video and photography, provide a resolution to the sometimes dispa- about international and national legal GPS/GIS mapping, and community theatre and rate agendas of environmental conservation, frameworks that can help them affirm radio. These tools engage youth and bridge the human rights, and economic development their substantive and procedural rights typical “language” barriers between traditional that have historically prevented community knowledge and Western science and between participation. and engage with external stakeholders in communities and external stakeholders. They proactive and culturally appropriate ways” enable communities to take ownership over There is increasing recognition of ICCAs’ role communication and decision-making proc- in the in situ conservation and sustainable use esses, to support local ICCA governance insti- of biodiversity. ICCAs consist of natural and Empowering communities tutions through evidence-based monitoring, modified ecosystems containing high ecolog- Indigenous peoples and local communities and to gain engage in constructive dialogue ical benefits and biodiversity and cultural val- have expressed several basic needs for their with other stakeholders.5 ues that are voluntarily conserved through ICCAs, including formal recognition of their communities’ customary laws and ways of rights to land and natural resources, recog- Protocols respond directly to the interna- life.2 They are governed through institutional nition of ICCAs’ governing institutions and tional recommendations and targets set out systems specific to local political, economic, customs, and culturally-sensitive support for by the Durban Accord, CBD PoWPA, and IUCN. social-cultural, and ecological contexts. They livelihoods, engaging local youth, and work- They also help communities respond to other also help strengthen collective land rights, ing collaboratively with other stakeholders3. legal and policy frameworks such as access reinforce customary natural resource manage- and benefit sharing by helping them define ment and knowledge systems, and enhance A rights-based approach that responds to internal procedures for engaging with other endogenous development. these issues is the bio-cultural community stakeholders. Overall, protocols can be used protocol. The development of a protocol is by communities to advocate for recognition The importance of ICCAs has been enshrined a community process of awareness-raising, of their ICCAs’ roles in conserving and sus- within several international environmen- gathering and communication of informa- tainably using biodiversity and in doing so, tal frameworks. At the Fifth World Parks tion, and internal reflection about the inter- ensure the local integrity of other environ- Congress, the Durban Accord and recom- connectedness of biodiversity and customary mental laws and policy. [sb] mendations called for the Convention on ways of life. The affirmation of the implicit rela- Biological Diversity (CBD) to recognize, tionships between traditional knowledge, cul- 1 Convention on Biological Diversity Programme of Work on Protected Areas, Element 2: Governance, equity, par- strengthen, protect, and support ICCAs in tural and spiritual values, and customary laws ticipation, and benefit sharing order to address gaps in national protected that govern the sustainable use of natural 2 Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend, Ashish Kothari, and area governance systems and to strengthen resources counteracts the tendency of laws to Gonzalo Oviedo. “Indigenous and Local Communities and Protected Areas: Towards Equity and Enhanced the relationships between people and bio- disaggregate these otherwise interconnected Conservation”. IUCN, 2004. Available at: http://cmsda- diversity. The CBD’s Programme of Work on elements.4 It facilitates an internal assess- ta.iucn.org/downloads/pag_011.pdf Protected Areas (PoWPA) then set several tar- ment of common challenges, endogenous 3 IUCN-CEESP Briefing Note No. 10: From learning to ac- tion: recognising and supporting conservation by indige- gets, including to use long-term participa- development plans, and visions for the future. nous peoples and local communities, May 2010. tory planning and management processes Communities also gain awareness about inter- 4 Kabir Bavikatte and Harry Jonas. Bio-cultural Community with active stakeholder involvement (Target national and national legal frameworks that Protocols: A Community Approach to Ensuring the Integrity of Environmental Law and Policy. UNEP, 2009. Available 1.4), to establish mechanisms for the equita- can help affirm their substantive and proce- at: www.naturaljustice.org. ble sharing of costs and benefits of protected dural rights and engage with external stake- 5 For examples of bio-cultural community protocols, see: areas (Target 2.1), and to ensure the full and holders in proactive and culturally appropriate www.naturaljustice.org

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left: selling their products at a weekly market in Eastern Hill, Nepal (Photo courtesy Bikash Paudel); right: Inside view of a community seed bank in Kachorwa, Bara, Nepal (Photo courtesy Bikash Paudel) Taking a Community Biodiversity Management Approach to ABS in Local Communities: The Nepal Experience

Local communities should also benefit from an international regime

By Bikash Paudel, Pitambar Shrestha, An international regime on ABS is being ques- Trickling down IRABS to communities B B Tamang and Pratap Shrestha tioned in CBD forums on its ability to ade- The impact of an international regime on ABS Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, quately respect and promote communities’ on local and indigenous communities will Research and Development ways of life that have contributed to the con- only trickle down when effective and inno- (LI-BIRD), Pokhara, Nepal servation and sustainable use of biodiver- vative mechanisms, serving as the basis for sity. Ensuring the right of communities to the implementing IRABS in communities and lthough the International Regime on genetic resource should be a major directive appropriate institutional development among Access and Benefit-Sharing (IRABS) principle of IRABS. Moreover, Trade-Related the custodians of genetic resources and Ais a global legal instrument, the pro- Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS)- Associated Traditional Knowledge (ATK), are visions of the Convention on Biological compliant domestic intellectual property rights identified, legitimated and promoted through Diversity (CBD) and Bonn Guidelines shows (IPR) laws in the North should also consider multi-partnership collaboration. The mecha- implementation of the international regime community rights over the components of bio- nisms serving as the basis for implementing should start at the local community. While diversity and traditional knowledge that have IRABS may include mechanisms to: document an international instrument for regulating been manipulated to generate ‘novel’ products, genetic resources and ATK with true recog- ABS is required to generate the incentive in the form of disclosure requirements sanc- nition of the custodians; add value to local for conservation of rapidly depleting bio- tioned in the IPR system; as in Norway, Brazil, genetic resources and ATK and promote in- diversity, the execution should effectively India and many other countries in South. situ conservation through use; facilitate the guarantee the recognition of the local com- controlled (without the condition of loos- munities and indigenous people as the true Policy and legal initiatives in Nepal ing community ownership) access to genetic custodian of the genetic resources, and their In the absence of appropriate national legis- resources and ATK; and fair and equitable dis- right to make decisions on documentation, lation, people of developing countries have tribution of the benefits accrued. conservation, development and sustaina- not been able to claim the right to prevent ble use and access to and benefit sharing. others from accessing or using their biodiver- Opportunities provided by the CBM approach Environmental laws are most likely to gener- sity and technical knowledge. Although it has Community-based Biodiversity Management ate local environmental and social benefits been recognized in recent national policies (CBM) is a participatory approach to empower when indigenous peoples and local com- and strategies; Nepal has not established any farmers, farming communities, and local insti- munities have the right of free, prior and legal, administrative or organizational frame- tutions in managing biodiversity for social, informed consent over any activities under- work for implementing IRABS. But, recently economic and environmental benefits to the taken on their lands or regarding access to initiated national and regional projects sup- community, as well as to the general public. It their traditional knowledge, innovation and portive for the development of ABS law and includes good practices, proven to be effective practices (TKIP). preparation of ABS draft law by government in in-situ conservation of biodiversity, it provide are worth looking forward to. a base for a range of practices which may serve

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Local Integrity of Environmental Law and Policy. Square as the basis for IRABS to be affable and afford- “The challenge for the post-2010 Brackets, Issue 2, November 2009. able to local communities. Regarding docu- Strategic Plan is to ensure that the CBD 2010. Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing: mentation and the sharing and conservation Database on Capacity Building Projects: Nepal. www.cbd. of genetic resources and ATK, CBM provide momentum generated over the past int/abs/projects.shtml options of participatory tools and practices like eight years doesn’t dissipate” Paudel B, Adhikari K, Shrestha P and Tamang BB, 2009. the Community Biodiversity Register, and the Interim Technical Report of - Promoting Innovative Mechanisms for Implementing Farmers’ Rights through Fair Biodiversity Fair and Community Seed Bank. It making decisions on conservation and use of Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing Regime also accommodates a range of practices, such GR and useful in facilitating access and shar- in Nepal. LI-BIRD. Report Submitted to IDRC Canada. as Participatory Plant Breeding, Participatory ing benefits from the use of them if properly (Unpublished) Varietal Selection, Value Addition and Market capacitated. Sthapit B 2006. On- conservation of agricultural bio- diversity: Concepts and Practices. On-farm Management of Promotion of local genetic resources and Com- Agricultural Biodiversity in Nepal: Lesson learned. Proceedings munity-Based Seed Production successful in The research done by Local Initiatives for of national symposium, 18-19 July 2006. Kathmandu, Nepal; pragmatic adoption of “Conservation through Biodiversity, Research and Development eds. Sthapit BR and D Gauchan. Pp 140-145. Utilization”; financing on these activities could (LI-BIRD) shows that CBM package is suc- http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca/dspace/handle/123456789/26257 easily be course to sharing benefits, fairly and cessful in empowering local communities Subedi A, Shrestha P, Shrestha P, Gautam R, Upadhyay M, equitably. to garner control over the genetic resources Rana R, Eyzaguirre P and Sthapit B R 2006. Community Biodiversity Management: Empowering Communities to and ATK that they own. Moreover, the prac- manage and mobilize agricultural biodiversity. On-farm CBM approach encompasses mechanism to tices accommodated in CBM would provide a Management of Agricultural Biodiversity in Nepal: Lesson distribute benefits aroused from use of com- complete package of innovative mechanisms learned. Proceedings of national symposium, 18-19 July 2006. Kathmandu, Nepal; eds. Sthapit BR and D Gauchan. mon property resources including genetic and institutional arrangement which would Pp 140-145. resources within community. Community serve as the base to trickle down an interna- Subedi A, Sthapit B, Shrestha P, Gauchan D and Upadhyay Biodiversity Management Fund (CBM fund) tional regime on ABS to communities; and M 2005 Emerging methodology of community biodiversity is found to be the mechanism to fairly and thus ultimately ensuring the conservation, register: A synthesis. Learnings from Community Biodiversity Register in Nepal; proceeding of the National Workshop, 27- equitably distribute such benefits in the sustainable use and fair and equitable shar- 28 October 2005; eds. Subedi A, BR Sthapit, MP Upadhyay, communities. CBM approach also gives ing of benefits. [sb] and D Gauchan. Pp 75-81. http://idl-bnc.idrc.ca/dspace/ emphasis in building institutions of the farm- handle/123456789/27838 ers and custodians of GR as a part of empow- Tayeb O El, Abdeldayem O, Eldi AT, Hamada A and Peacock References: K 2009. Community-based Management of Medicinal ering communities. These institutions of Bavikatte K and Jonas H, 2009. Bio-cultural Community Plants in Saint Katherine, Egypt. Square Brackets, Issue 2, farmers have been found to be successful in Protocols as a Community-based Approach to Ensuring the November 2009. How the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership Communicates its Message across Sectors

By Tristan Tyrrell, 2010 Biodiversity Technological Advice (SBSTTA) and to support One of the major challenges facing the Indicators Partnership, UNEP World the discussions on the post-2010 agenda. Partnership has been how to disseminate Conservation Monitoring Centre; with the results across a wide range of sectors and input from Damon Stanwell-Smith, Peter Engaging with a range of sectors potential audiences, and critically: how to do Herkenrath, Philip Bubb and Anna Chenery The 2010 BIP, with major support from the so in a meaningful and effective way which Global Environment Facility (GEF), brings both highlights the plight of biodiversity loss The International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) together over forty organizations working and encourages effective responses by deci- is upon us, and the time of reckoning as internationally, including several NGOs, to fur- sion makers. All outputs from the Partnership to whether we have achieved the 2010 ther develop and promote indicators for the are translated into the six UN languages and Biodiversity Target of significantly reducing consistent monitoring and assessment of bio- Japanese; including the website and a reg- the rate of biodiversity loss is imminent. The diversity, thereby providing the best available ular quarterly newsletter—BIPNews. The 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (2010 information on biodiversity trends to the glo- Partnership has actively engaged with a range BIP; www.twentyten.net) is a global initia- bal community. The 2010 BIP has three main of key international fora, including the United tive supporting the Convention on Biological objectives: (i) to ensure improved global biodi- Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Diversity (CBD) through development of a suite versity indicators are implemented and availa- Governing Council, the 2008 IUCN World of indicators to assess our progress towards ble; (ii) to generate information on biodiversity Conservation Congress, the 2010 Society for the Target. The Partnership has been working trends which is useful to decision makers; and Conservation Biology conference, a variety of with the scientific community and the CBD (iii) to establish links between biodiversity ini- major CBD meetings, and those of other bio- Secretariat to release the results from the indi- tiatives at the regional and national levels to diversity-related multilateral environmen- cators in time for the fourteenth meeting of enable capacity building and improve the tal agreements. Specific publications on the the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and delivery of the biodiversity indicators. continued on page 12

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continued from page 11 frameworks for private sector sustainability Targets (UNEP; Nairobi, Kenya; October outcomes of the indicator development have reporting—on the use of biodiversity and 2010), and the Sixth Trondheim Conference significantly contributed to the third edition ecosystem service indicators. on Biodiversity (Government of Norway; of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-3), Trondheim, Norway; February 2010). This has underpinned published articles in high-level The CBD post-2010 Strategic Plan allowed for the results and experiences of the peer reviewed journals, and provided a range Not only has the Partnership been support- 2010 BIP to be captured in the draft post-2010 of information documents to conferences and ing the current CBD Strategic Plan to 2010, Strategic Plan to be tabled at SBSTTA 14. meetings throughout the world. The 2010 BIP but it has also has been very actively contrib- Secretariat is also contributing to the Inter- uting to discussions on the CBD’s post-2010 The challenge for the post-2010 Strategic Plan Agency and Expert Group on the Millennium Strategic Plan. It has worked closely with the is to ensure that the momentum generated Development Goal (MDG) indicators, in par- CBD Secretariat to contribute to major inter- over the past eight years will not dissipate. ticular relating to MDG7 on environmental national meetings on the post-2010 agenda, Rather, it should increase in the coming years sustainability, the discussions on a potential including the Expert Workshop on the as efforts to harmonize the climate change intergovernmental science-policy platform 2010 Biodiversity Indicators and Post-2010 agenda with biodiversity conservation, the on biodiversity and ecosystem services, and Indicator Development (CBD & UNEP-WCMC; emergence of other pressures on effective con- the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)—the glo- Reading, UK; July 2009), Expert Meeting on servation, an international regime on access bal network-based organization developing Development of Post 2010 Global Biodiversity and benefit-sharing, private sector activities,

Community Actions for Global Impact

Ensuring nature’s rights and sustainable livelihoods in the Ecuadorian Amazon region

By Ana Maria Varea, National Coordinator, and the community’s homeland which is Global Environment Facility (GEF) being threatened by oil extraction activities. Small Grants Programme, Ecuador Therefore, this project, designed under the Sumak Kawsay vision, aims to ensure their hrough the support of the Global right to preserve their land and water. Environment Facility (GEF) Small TGrants Program (SGP) and the techni- Fostering sustainable livelihoods cal support of the Front for the Defense of the Through this project a key axis of coopera- Amazon (FDA), the Kichwa Shayari commu- tion between the Kichwa Shayari community, nity has effectively shaped their livelihood in FDA and the local government of Cascales has a sustainable way within the Sumak Kawsay. been established to foster a sustainable liveli- Sumak Kawsay means good living, and is a hood for the indigenous people of Ecuador’s vision held by indigenous people in Ecuador Northern Amazon. Up until now, the project that proposes that humans and nature can shows the success of using the knowledge relate to each other through mutual respect. of Ecuador’s Amazon people for biodiversity management. In addition, the project pro- The 2008 Ecuadorian Constitution asserts motes their sovereignty in order to consolidate that the biodiversity of Ecuador, considered resistance towards oil extraction and preserve as mega diverse, must be protected. Natural their territory. resource extraction poses a great threat to the framework proposed by the new consti- By securing the Kichwa Shayari’s rights to land tution. In particular, the Amazon Chernobyl— and water, the Sumak Kawsay facilitates the Chevron Texaco in Ecuador- showcases creation of a productive sustainable land- the horrifying effects of oil extraction on scape and ensures the livelihoods of these the Amazon and its people, accentuating families. The project worked with 78 members the need to shape Ecuador’s development of the community who live on 500 hectares of through the Sumak Kawsay. Northern Amazonia.

In light of this, the Kichwa Shayari, a com- The project focus on capacity building as munity located in the northern Ecuadorian an effort to preserve the livelihood and cul- Amazon is working to preserve their culture ture of this community and has led to the

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and a potential intergovernmental science- policy platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services are carried forward. The 2010 BIP will continue to support the global discussions on indicator development and use, produce pol- icy-relevant information on biodiversity and ecosystem services, and aid appropriate capac- ity building at national and regional levels. The support of NGOs in achieving such objectives cannot be underestimated, as their experi- ence and knowledge of key issues at a range of scales is essential. [sb]

For more information on the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership, and to find comprehen- sive information on the CBD indicators, see: www.twentyten.net A Vietnamese market (Photo courtesy Taylor Miles) preservation of 2500 hectares of invalua- community as a strategy of resistance to oil chacra (the latter terrain) sustainably pro- ble biodiversity in the Amazon. This project production. The Kichwa Center houses a coop- duces tropical wheat, maize, bore and other restores the harmony implied by the Sumak erative eco-tourism small business and aqua- grains key to the diet of the community. Kawsay and recognizes and values the knowl- culture pools which in addition to the agro edge of the Kichwa Shayari community in forestry activities promote food sovereignty The success of this project in valuing nat- order to promote a sustainable livelihood and for these families. The pools house ural resources and culture has been key in sound management of natural resources. and reproduce cachama and sabalo (endemic the capacity building of the community and fish species) in an environmentally friendly developing a sustainable livelihood strategy Through this project the community has manner, restoring one of the traditional food which promotes biodiversity management developed a sustainable management plan sources of the Kichwa Shayari community. and conservation of this Amazon region. of their natural resources and livelihood in order to protect their intensely biodiverse The center is also concerned with valuing and Such has been the success of the project that rainforest and home in Sucumbíos, Ecuador. rescuing culture through artisanal production. the municipality of Cascales wants to imple- In two years, the community has been able to In complement to this, the geographic plan- ment the project with other communities in achieve an adequate and sustainable use of ning and creation of ethno botanical tourist the province. Additionally the ongoing efforts the forest through productive activities which trails was achieved in collaboration with the of this community project have been pro- sustain their livelihood and promote the con- families which emphasizes the importance moted as an intercultural initiative within the servation of the region. of participatory action for constructing the objectives proposed by the Millennium Goals. community’s livelihood with their landscape The Kichwa Shayari community is now a model Efforts to promote awareness of the right to in order to preserve it. The Lianas Center fos- in biodiversity management and conservation a clean and healthy environment, Article 14 ters the community lifestyle of the Kichwa and in productive landscapes promoted within of the constitution, are also a key character- Shayari by supporting a sustainable agricul- the Sumak Kawsay. This project shows how a istic of the project. A rescue center for animal ture terrain in which the biodiversity of local community can sustainably secure their land victims of trafficking of species is managed agricultural products is ensured and warrants and water rights, and at the same time contrib- by the community in collaboration with the the food sovereignty of the community. The ute to help ensure nature’s rights. [sb] Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment. This res- cue center has an ongoing program for repro- ducing native species and rehabilitating the About the GEF Small Grants Programme animals which have been victims of this illegal Launched in 1992, SGP supports activities of nongovernmental and community-based practice, and if possible return them to their organizations in developing countries towards climate change abatement, conservation of home environment. These ongoing efforts biodiversity, protection of international waters, reduction of the impact of persistent organic in the community are building a sustaina- pollutants and prevention of land degradation while generating sustainable livelihoods. ble livelihood within the Sumak Kawsay and assert their rights to a dignified and harmoni- Since its creation SGP has provided grants to 12,000 communities in 122 developing coun- ous relationship with nature. tries. Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) as a corporate programme, SGP is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of the GEF Additionally the project has succeeded in partnership, and is executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). reframing the productive activities of the

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Perspectives

To promote an exchange of viewpoints on the 2010 Biodiversity Target and the way forward for both the Convention and in setting new biodiversity targets, the [square brackets] editorial board posed three questions to civil society actors.

of perverse measures and subsidies should Christine von be one of the main targets. Such reductions Weizsaecker, are the only way to come close to the impact President, Ecoropa needed to reverse the trend in biodiversity sta- tus. Reduction of perverse subsidies by the Why did Parties fail economically powerful, moreover, is a contri- to achieve the 2010 bution to international fairness. targets? Further, why is the Convention failing to achieve its three What are the three most important things Elephant Seal, Macquarie Island, New Zealand objectives? that must be done in order to make (Photo courtesy Ministry for the Environment New Zealand/C. J. R. Robertson) Biodiversity loss is not caused in the minis- progress in achieving the three objectives tries of environment. It is caused by decisions of the Convention? a lack of political will and a business as usual in other—more powerful ministries. Political In view of my answer to the first question, there attitude. The parties to the CBD are being con- decisions in the ministries of , for- is just one most pressing decision to be taken trolled by some governments and big interna- estry and fisheries, in the ministries of trade, at Nagoya: the long overdue legally-binding tional NGOs. With them controlling, nothing ministries of transport often strengthen driv- Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing must was really done. ers of biodiversity loss e.g. by perverse poli- be agreed on, ratified and implemented in cies and perverse subsidies. This cannot be the most expeditious manner feasible. Such Perhaps a simple quote will help surmise it all. undone by well meant conservation policies a Protocol must be much more than just an “Government is instituted for the protection, and a little bit of funding available to the min- instrument to legitimize past biopiracies and safety, and happiness of the people, and not istries of environment. As long as biodiversity facilitate access. The Protocol must address for profit, honor, or private interest of any man, is not an issue recognized as an interministe- all present and upcoming types of utilization. family, or class of men. . .the origin of all power rial task under the leadership of the environ- It must recognize and address the rights of is in the people, and they have an incontest- ment ministries failure will continue. governments, indigenous peoples and local able right to check the creatures of their own communities over their biodiversity and their creation, vested with certain powers to guard The fathers and mothers of the CBD wisely traditional knowledge. Compliance measures the life, liberty and property of the commu- identified the three objectives that must be for users, including certificate of legal prove- nity…” —Mercy Otis-Warren, poet, patriot, his- achieved jointly so that biodiversity and peo- nance and check points must be established. torian and advocate of the Bill of Rights. ple can thrive: conservation, sustainable use The interrelationship between the Global and justice regarding benefits. No conserva- Taxonomy Initiative and this Protocol has to What should the post-2010 strategy focus tion policy is going to be successful on the be clarified. The obligations of the Protocol on and what, if any, should the main long run without adequate sustainable use have to take the lead over scientific interests. targets be? What are the imperatives to policies. Protected areas need sustainable So far, the increase in taxonomic collections is achieve these targets? support at the national level for many gen- not proportionate to the increase in the suc- The post-2010 strategy must focus on real tar- erations to come. Without an assertion of cessful conservation of ecosystems. The failure gets with real actions to be taken. There must human rights’ protection and justice in the of achieving the 2010 target, see question a., be political will and a UN monitoring center. sharing of benefits every populist new gov- is due to a lack of political will and not a lack of There is not much time left. They must be ernment will distribute conservation land inventory lists of species. made accountable. to the poor. Sustainable use and sharing of benefits are going to collapse if conservation What are the three most important things is not successful. Again, a failure of consol- Antonio Claparoles, that must be done in order to make idated, coherent national and international President, Philippines progress in achieving the three objectives biodiversity policies. Ecological Society of the Convention? Three things that must be done are: What should the post-2010 strategy focus Why did Parties fail to • Set the targets on and what, if any, should the main achieve the 2010 targets? • Make the framework actions targets be? What are the imperatives to Further, why is the Convention failing to • And the political will and commitment of achieve these targets? achieve its three objectives? all parties to achieve the goals. The strategy should focus on all land use pol- The targets were not met because they were The planet is dying and the lack of political icies, instruments and regulations. Reduction never really meant to be achieved. There was will has never been more prevalent.

Let’s save paper! Please consider reading on-screen. May 2010 Issue 3 | Page 15

Patrick Mulvany, “Post 2010, the CBD should focus on • Change national legislations so that they Senior Policy Adviser, developing indicators for monitoring are in harmony with the agreement Practical Action • Recognize the rights of indigenous peoples changes in Agricultural Biodiversity • Real implementation of agreements and Why did Parties fail to and its associated ecosystem functions the objectives of the Convention. achieve the 2010 targets? at local to national levels” Further, why is the Convention failing to achieve its three objectives? Pat Mooney, Despite many decisions and intentions there stop damaging activities and ensure full ETC Group has been little effort by Parties to limit dam- redress and compensation for any environ- age to the productive environment nor to mental, social or economic damage, espe- Why did Parties fail to ensure that biodiverse, ecologically sound cially to the guardians and developers of achieve the 2010 targets? practices are implemented nationally within agricultural biodiversity. Further, why is the Con- the framework of legally-binding global pro- • Remove commercial, trade and other pres- vention failing to achieve tocols. The causes of the continuing loss of sures on the guardians and developers of its three objectives? agricultural biodiversity are due to the unreg- agricultural biodiversity e.g. protection In 1992, ETC Group (then, RAFI) declared the ulated expansion of industrial agriculture and for locally-based biodiverse ecological adoption of the Biodiversity Convention in , with negative downstream food provision free from GMOs and the Rio at best, a political mistake, at worst, a sell- impacts on the environment. For exam- restrictions on sale, re-use, exchange and out of the global South’s genetic resources. ple, varietal replacement is the major cause use from monopoly privileges, laws and With similar bad-humor, we condemned the of loss of seed diversity in common use on- technologies. Cartagena Protocol as facilitating the intro- farm. In the past 20 years systems based on • Implement policies for changing the food duction of GM crops. Looking back, we can industrial agricultural methods and inputs system towards smaller-scale, more local, take masochistic comfort in knowing that our have expanded and penetrated deeper into biodiverse, ecological food provision, in original curmudgeonly critiques withstand rural areas. This has reduced the diversity the framework of food sovereignty, that the test of time. (at genetic, species and ecosystem levels) of will increase agricultural biodiversity terrestrial, aquatic and marine plants, ani- on-farm. This, however, doesn’t fairly address either the mals and microorganisms needed for peo- accomplishments, the failures or the continuing ple to provide food, fibre, fuel and medicines potential of the Convention. Government and from their land, waters and fishing grounds. Onel Masardule, Executive Director, private funding for biodiversity conservation is Benefits have not been forthcoming. These Foundation for the Promotion in decline. Even the rhetoric is suffering. In this should have benefitted the developers and of Indigenous Knowledge the International Year of Biodiversity Year, the guardians of agricultural biodiversity, the species and genetic diversity loss on land and small-scale farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolk, Why did Parties fail to achieve the 2010 tar- at sea continue to accelerate and the world’s Indigenous Peoples and other small-scale gets? Further, why is the Convention failing policy makers have moved on to other topics. food providers. to achieve its three objectives? The main reason Parties have failed to achieve Given the compounding crises of food, fuel, What should the post-2010 strategy focus the 2010 targets and the three objectives of finance and climate, this failure could hardly on and what, if any, should the main the CBD is lack of will to implement the initi- be laid solely at the feet of the Convention. targets be? What are the imperatives to atives necessary to achieve the 2010 targets Industry and governments are fixated on achieve these targets? and the objectives of the Convention. new hi-tech solutions for all of these crises Post 2010, the CBD should focus on devel- and neither biological diversity nor the indig- oping indicators for monitoring changes in What should the post-2010 strategy focus enous knowledge crucial to using the diver- Agricultural Biodiversity and its associated on and what, if any, should the main sity seem as important as they did a few years ecosystem functions at local to national lev- targets be? What are the imperatives to ago. Support for biodiversity has always been, els. The target is to ensure that agricultural achieve these targets? classically, a kilometer wide and a millimeter biodiversity of food species and their asso- The main strategy should come from civil deep among policymakers. ciated support species increases at all levels. society, providing initiatives that affect national, regional and international environ- All of us who fundamentally support the goals What are the three most important things mental policies which will allow us to achieve and objectives of the CBD share the blame for that must be done in order to make the objectives of the Convention. not having forced policymakers to face the progress in achieving the three objectives connections between these various crises of the convention? What are the three most important things and for not recognizing that whether we are • Reduce the explicit and implicit power of that must be done in order to make talking about alternatives to fossil fuels or the TNCs in the Convention, and related instru- progress in achieving the three objectives need to feed hungry people or the strategies ments, and develop legally binding proto- of the convention? of responding to climate change, the conser- cols that will ensure immediate action to The three most important things to do are: vation and equitable use of biological and

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The second pincer—much encouraged by the [square brackets] Copenhagen debacle and the growing shock over climate tipping—is the notion that we must Editorial Board Jessica Dempsey, CBD Alliance geoengineer our planet out of the climate cri- S Faizi, Indian Biodiversity Forum sis. The “proof of principle”, geoengineers main- Maurizio Farhan, tain, is all around us—the Industrial Revolution Forest Peoples Programme geoengineered the planet into global warming. Wally Menne, Timberwatch Lucy Mulenkei, Indigenous Now, they contend, science must manipulate Information Network the stratosphere, the ocean surfaces, and land- Neil Pratt, Convention on masses in order to regulate the planetary ther- Biological Diversity mostat and sequester greenhouse gases. Both John Scott, Convention on Biological Diversity the US Congress and the UK Parliament are hold- Holly Shrumm, Natural Justice ing hearings to this effect and the British Royal Director of Publication Society and various US science associations are Ravi Sharma, Convention on cooperating on research models, proposing Biological Diversity funding experiments, and discussing governance Managing Editors models that will make it possible for a handful CBD Secretariat Neil Pratt of governments to make decisions for the rest Johan Hedlund ([email protected]) of us about planetary systems. Scientific pro- CBD Alliance posals that were dismissed as insane or, at least, Jessica Dempsey insanely expensive—20 years ago are now being Typesetting presented as an unavoidable “Plan B” for plane- Em Dash Design tary survival. At the recent Cochabamba “Peoples Comments and suggestions for future columns are welcome and should be addressed to Conference on Climate Change and the Rights of Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity Mother Earth”, a team of geoengineers came to 413 Rue St. Jacques, Suite 800 the conference to explain why they should be Montréal, Québec, H2Y 1N9 Canada Tel. +1-514-288-2220 Fax: +1-514-288-6588 (Photo courtesy UNEP) given permission to regulate the thermostat. [email protected] The large numbers of indigenous peoples and www.cbd.int genetic diversity is absolutely central to our sur- peasant organizations recognized an enormous [square brackets] is a newsletter focusing on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and civil vival as a species. threat to biological diversity. At the end of the society. It aims to draw content and opinion from conference, the 35,000 delegates from more than relevant individuals, organizations and members of civil society and provide information on issues of What should the post-2010 strategy focus on 140 countries roundly condemned geoengineer- importance to the CBD, and on views and actions and what, if any, should the main targets be? ing as a “false solution”. being undertaken by civil society organizations. What are the imperatives to achieve these This newsletter aims to present a diversity of civil society opinions. The views expressed in the ar- targets? What are the three most important things ticles are the views of the authors and do not We need to make clear not only to governments that must be done in order to make progress necessarily reflect the views of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, its Secretariat but to ourselves that the conservation of biolog- in achieving the three objectives of the or the CBD Alliance. ical diversity is not a romantic ideal but a vital convention? Useful links necessity. The planet is caught in a pincer. Industry Shortly after the adoption of the Biodiversity Convention on Biological Diversity: www.cbd.int no longer thinks in terms of producing foods or Convention, we coined the term “biopiracy” to SBSTTA 14: fuels, pharmaceuticals or other carbon-depend- describe the North’s commercial interests in the www.cbd.int/sbstta14 WGRI 3: ent manufactures but in producing biomass that South’s biodiversity. With this new pincer move- www.cbd.int/wgri3 Access and Benefit-Sharing: can, through synthetic biology, convert living car- ment, we have moved beyond biopiracy to an www.cbd.int/abs bon into whatever end product is most profita- era of Geopiracy where not only the biosphere Article 8(j): Traditional Knowledge, Innovations and Practices: ble at harvest time. Industry reckons that we are but all of our planetary systems are at enormous www.cbd.int/traditional on the threshold of the elusive “Carbohydrate risk. Contrary to what ETC group thought dec- CBD Alliance: www.cbdalliance.org Economy” that can control the multi-trillion dol- ades ago, the biodiversity convention has proven Link to previous edition of [square brackets] www.cbd.int/doc/newsletters/square-brackets/ lar energy industry; the $8 trillion food industry itself to be a remarkably effective forum for square-brackets-2009-11.html and the $3 trillion plastics industry as a single raw debating emerging issues and confronting new Let’s save paper! material. From industry’s perspective, less than threats. The challenge in the years ahead is for Please consider reading on-screen. © CBD Secretariat 2010. All Rights Reserved. one quarter of the world’s annual terrestrial bio- indigenous communities, peasant organizations, ISBN I92-9225-256-9 mass has been commodified—meaning that the civil society in general and governments in par- race is on to commodify and monopolize that ticular to come to grips with this new threat of three quarters of the world’s annual terrestrial bio- geopiracy and to challenge the notion of geo- mass that has not yet been commercialized. In this engineering first at the CBD but also at the UN race, land, location and (most of all) technology General Assembly and at the International Court are critical—biodiversity is irrelevant. of Justice. [sb]

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