FEATURE : Trends Leading up to the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) CURRENT TOPICS : · Japan Requests Listing on Appendix
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
27 March 2021 FEATURE : Trends Leading up to the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) CURRENT TOPICS : ·Japan Requests Listing on Appendix III of CITES · Measures to Prevent the Spread of Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) · Ten Years After the Great East Japan Earthquake ·Initiatives to Promote ESG Finance · Global Environmental Action (GEA) International Conference 2020 VOICE OF MOE FAMILY IN THE WORLD NATIONAL PARKS OF JAPAN : Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park Mt. Fuji FEATURE Trends Leading up to the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) The 2050 Biodiversity Vision for "Living in Harmony with Nature" the targets, the report points out that national targets set by each country were “generally poorly aligned with the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, in terms of scope and the level of ambition.” 2 Global Status of Biodiversity The Global Assessment Report released in May 2019 by the Intergovernmental Science- Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) identified direct and indirect drivers of change in nature, shown in the box below. It then pointed out that while targets for nature conservation and sustainable use cannot be achieved at the current rate, these goals can be Participants of the Regional Consultation Workshop on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework for Asia and the Pacific, January 28-31 2019, in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan achieved through cross-cutting social change (transformative change) in The next global targets for biodiversity plan consists of the 2050 Biodiversity our economies, societies, politics, are now under consideration. The current Vision, aimed at “Living in Harmony science and technology. Aichi Targets were decided upon at CBD- with Nature,” the Mission to “take COP10 held in Japan in 2010. Japan effective and urgent action to halt the (Direct drivers) is contributing in various ways to the loss of biodiversity” by 2020, and the 1 Land/sea use change determination of the next targets, which Aichi Targets, which indicate concrete 2 Direct exploitation of will take place at COP15 to be held in actions for each of the 20 targets. The organisms China in 2021. Aichi Targets include a variety of 3 Climate change goals, including conservation goals 4 Pollution 1 The Aichi Targets and to designate 17% of terrestrial areas 5 Invasive alien species Status of Achievement and 10% of marine areas as protected (Examples of indirect drivers) At the tenth meeting of the areas, goals for the sustainable use 1 Production and consumption Conference of the Parties to the of biodiversity, and goals for the patterns Convention on Biological Diversity scientific infrastructure and funding 2 Human population dynamics (CBD-COP10) held in Japan in needed for biodiversity. The fifth and trends Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, in October edition of the Global Biodiversity 3 Trade 2010, global biodiversity targets Outlook (GBO5) released by the 4 Technological innovations were agreed upon. These targets, CBD Secretariat in September 2020, 5 Local through global which were intended as a global judged that while considerable governance framework for all sections of society, progress has been made, none of the Drivers of change in nature are officially a part of the Strategic targets have been fully achieved. As Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020. This to reasons for this failure to achieve 2 JEQ JAPAN Environment Quarterly | Vol.27 FEATURE In addition, the Global Risks Report 2020, released in January of 2020, ranks “biodiversity loss” as the fourth most likely risk and the third most impacting risk. Among ecosystem services, the report points Necessary Efforts to Restore out impacts on economic activities Biodiversity due to the decline in supply of services, the destabilization of society due to the decline in regulating and supporting services, and the loss of various future potential benefits that humans receive from biodiversity. Further, the aforementioned GBO5 states that we need to break Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 away from “business as usual” and (Secretariat of the Convention enact transformative changes, and on Biological Diversity, 2020) that we must respond in a coordinated manner rather than individually. It points out the possibility of realizing are underway on enhancing Kumamoto Prefecture, aimed a net gain in biodiversity after 2030 consideration of biodiversity in at contributing to the post-2020 by halting biodiversity decline and socioeconomic activities, based on framework based on the experiences shifting to increasing it. It also the idea that actions taken in the field of the Satoyama Initiative. Likewise, indicates eight transition areas to of nature conservation alone will not Japan has actively contributed to the achieve the 2050 Vision, focusing on solve problems of biodiversity loss, as deliberation process by providing agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, pointed out in the IPBES report and financial support for the preparation including climate change response GBO5. For example, deliberations of GBO5. and the One Health approach. include perspectives on reducing Japan has also contributed to burdens on biodiversity in supply discussions by voicing constructive 3 Status of Deliberations chains and promoting sustainable opinions to ensure that the ambition on a Post-2020 Global consumption activities. Efforts are level of the new targets does not Biodiversity Framework also underway to set quantitative regress from the Aichi Targets, and An Asia-Pacific regional targets and to advance discussions that they are easy to understand so workshop held in Nagoya, Aichi on more effective assessment and that a larger diversity of actors can Prefecture, Japan, in January 2019 reporting of each signatory country’s participate in the implementation got the ball rolling on deliberations state of implementation towards of the new framework, considering on a post-2020 global biodiversity achieving the post-2020 framework. that it must include socioeconomic framework. Subsequently, meetings Global targets set for elements. In addition, discussions in each region, meetings on biodiversity have to date included are being held with the Japan specialized topics such as protected the 2010 Biodiversity Target and the Business Federation on how areas and ecosystem restoration, Aichi Targets, but in both cases we Japanese companies can contribute to and meetings of subsidiary bodies have failed to achieve our targets. In achieving the new framework through to discuss the post-2020 framework light of this situation, the setting of their technologies. Japan intends progressed smoothly up to February both ambitious, realistic and effective to continue to make contributions 2020. However, the deliberation targets is required. to ensure that the new framework process has been significantly delayed can create a virtuous cycle between due to the impact of COVID-19, and 4 Japan’s Contribution biodiversity and the economy. COP15, which was scheduled for As previously mentioned, the October 2020 in Kunming, China, deliberation process on a post-2020 was postponed to 2021. Meetings global biodiversity framework began of subsidiary bodies have also been with an Asia-Pacific regional meeting NAKAZAWA Keiichi, Ph.D. postponed or held online. Within held in Nagoya in January 2019. In Director deliberations on a post-2020 global September of the same year, an expert Biodiversity Strategy Office Nature Conservation Bureau biodiversity framework, discussions workshop was held in Kumamoto, JEQ JAPAN Environment Quarterly | Vol.27 3 ◀ CURRENT TOPICS 1 ▶ Japan Requests Listing on Appendix III of CITES In November 2020, for the first time, trade control measures to be taken, Japan of these seven species have Japan submitted the request to the and implementation of regulations been regulated under the Act on Secretariat of the Convention on on international trade by importing Conservation of Endangered Species International Trade in Endangered Species and exporting countries. As of of Wild Fauna and Flora, but to date of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to list six February 2021, 182 countries and there have been no regulations on gecko species of the genus Goniurosaurus the EU are parties to the convention. international trade between third and one newt species of the genus While proposals by member states countries. Following inclusion Echinotriton, which are endemic to on Appendices I and II should be on Appendix III, confirmation of the Amami and Okinawa Islands, on adopted by the Conference of the country of origin will be required for Appendix III of CITES. Inclusion on the Parties, which meets every few years, international trade, making it difficult Appendix regulates international trade requests on Appendix III can be for specimens smuggled from Japan by only allowing trade of listed species made at any time and by any Party to flow into international markets, upon presentation of certificates of origin, unilaterally after satisfying conditions helping to prevent illegal capture in critical in preventing inducement of for the species’ protection under Japan and smuggling out of Japan. illegal capture in Japan and smuggling its national legislation. This recent Inclusion in the Appendix took out of Japan. request for inclusion on Appendix effect on February 14, 2021. III was made to call other parties for prompt cooperation in regulating the Towards Effective Conservation trade of national endangered species of our National Endangered believed to be affected by trade. Species Measures to protect endangered Request for International