The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation – A Concept Paper The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation A Concept Paper Barbara Lausche, David Farrier, Project Director: Françoise Burhenne Jonathan Verschuuren, Antonio G. M. La Viña, Arie Trouwborst, Charles-Hubert Born, Lawrence Aug IUCN Environmental Law Programme Environmental Law Centre Godesberger Allee 108-112 53175 Bonn, Germany Phone: ++ 49 228 / 2692 231 Fax: ++ 49 228 / 2692 250 IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Paper No. 85 – Volume 1 [email protected] www.iucn.org/law With the financial support of World Commission on Environmental Law IUCN EPLP 85 EN RZ.indd 1 11.07.13 15:11 The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation A Concept Paper The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation A Concept Paper Barbara Lausche, David Farrier, Jonathan Verschuuren, Antonio G. M. La Viña, Arie Trouwborst, Charles-Hubert Born, Lawrence Aug Project Director: Françoise Burhenne IUCN Environmental Policy and Law Paper No. 85 Volume 1 The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of IUCN. Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland in collaboration with the IUCN Environmental Law Centre, Bonn, Germany Copyright: © 2013 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorized without prior written permission from the copyright holder provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. Citation: Lausche, Barbara, David Farrier, Jonathan Verschuuren, Antonio G. M. La Viña, Arie Trouwborst, Charles-Hubert Born, Lawrence Aug (2013). The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation. A Concept Paper, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. xxiv + 190 pp. ISBN: 978-2-8317-1600-8 Cover design by: IUCN Environmental Law Centre Cover photos: IUCN Photo Library © Trond Larsen, IUCN Photo Library © Sue Mainka, IUCN Photo Library © Geoffroy Mauvais, IUCN Photo Library © Jim Thorsell, IUCN Photo Library © IUCN / Claire Warmenbol, © Landesbetrieb Straßenbau NRW Layout by: layout & more, Bonn Available from: IUCN Publications Services Rue Mauverney 28 1196 Gland Switzerland Tel +41 22 999 0000 Fax +41 22 999 0010 [email protected] www.iucn.org/publications The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation – A Concept Paper CONTENTS Foreword xi Preface and acknowledgements xiii About the authors xvii Concept Paper (Volume 1) xvii Case Studies (Volume 2) xviii Acronyms and abbreviations xxi Overview of research findings 1 Introduction 3 Context 3 Purpose and scope 4 Approach 5 Audience 6 Organisation 7 Part I – Basic principles and concepts for understanding connectivity conservation 9 Introduction 9 1 Science and management 9 1.1 Connectivity Conservation Science 11 1.1.1 Conceptual foundation 11 1.1.2 Connectivity conservation today 14 1.1.3 Addressing scale 17 1.1.4 Connectivity for climate change 18 1.1.5 Issues of uncertainty 20 1.2 Management concepts and tasks 21 2 Benefits of connectivity conservation 29 Introduction 29 2.1 Benefits of connectivity for biodiversity 31 2.2 Benefits of connectivity for climate change adaptation 32 2.3 Benefits of connectivity for climate change mitigation 33 2.4 Connectivity co-benefits for biodiversity and climate change 35 Key messages 39 3 Governance for Connectivity Conservation 39 Introduction 39 3.1 Applying the principles of good governance 40 3.1.1 Transparency and participation 41 3.1.2 Social equity and justice 42 3.2 Types of Governance 44 3.2.1 Scale 45 3.2.2 Challenges with large scale areas 46 v IUCN-EPLP No. 85 The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation – A Concept Paper 3.2.3 Bottom-up and top-down strategies 47 3.2.4 The role of NGOs 49 3.2.5 Land tenure factors 50 3.2.6 Choosing instruments 51 Key messages 51 Part II – Legal issues and instruments for connectivity conservation 53 Introduction 53 1 International law – global instruments, terrestrial environments 57 1.1 Convention on Biological Diversity 58 1.2 Climate Change Convention 60 1.3 Convention on Migratory Species 61 1.4 Ramsar Convention 63 1.5 World Heritage Convention 63 1.6 Other Instruments 64 2 International law – regional and supranational 65 2.1 Regional law 65 2.1.1 African Convention 65 2.1.2 Bern Convention 66 2.1.3 CMS ancillary instruments 68 2.1.4 Other instruments 69 2.2 European Union law and connectivity 70 Introduction 70 2.2.1 European ecological network: Natura 2000 71 2.2.2 Translating Natura 2000 into national law 73 2.2.3 Connectivity guidance for the Natura 2000 network 73 2.2.4 Challenges for Network implementation 74 2.2.5 Species conservation 75 2.2.6 Examples of related EU Directives 76 3 National Policy and Law 77 Introduction – generic law and policy tools 77 3.1 National conservation and sustainable use legislation 82 3.1.1 Conservation policies and plans 83 3.1.2 Stand-alone legal instruments 84 3.1.3 Protected areas legislation 90 3.1.4 Biodiversity conservation laws 93 3.1.5 Nature conservation or nature protection laws 94 3.1.6 Wildlife conservation laws 94 3.1.7 Sustainable resource use laws 96 3.1.8 Specific ecosystem or habitat-type legislation 101 3.1.9 Hydrologic connectivity – legal protection of environmental flows 103 Key messages 104 3.2 Land Use Planning Legislation 105 Introduction 105 3.2.1 Planning for land use and conservation 105 3.2.2 Content of plans 109 IUCN-EPLP No. 85 vi The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation – A Concept Paper 3.2.3 Strategic environmental assessment of land use plans 112 3.2.4 Addressing existing land uses and management practices 112 3.2.5 Providing for active management 113 3.2.6 Security of plans 113 3.2.7 Integrating land use and conservation planning 114 Key messages 115 3.3 Development Control Legislation 116 Introduction 116 3.3.1 Development control and connectivity conservation 116 3.3.2 Discretionary decisions 118 3.3.3 Approvals with conditions attached 121 Key messages 124 3.4 Voluntary conservation agreements 125 Introduction 125 3.4.1 Agreements between whom 126 3.4.2 Agreements about what 127 3.4.3 Security of agreements 128 Key messages 130 3.5 Economic and market-based instruments aiding connectivity conservation 130 Introduction 130 3.5.1 Payments and fiscal advantages (positive incentives) 131 3.5.2 Direct funding for connectivity conservation projects – The EU LIFE programme 137 3.5.3 Market creation 138 Key messages 141 4 Special issues for Marine Connectivity 143 Introduction 143 4.1 Defining marine connectivity 143 4.2 Scientific understandings and management approaches 145 4.2.1 Science 146 4.2.2 Management 151 4.3 Special legal considerations 159 4.3.1 International marine law instruments 159 4.3.2 Regional marine law instruments 163 4.3.3 International marine programme – MAB Biosphere Reserves 164 4.3.4 National legal considerations 164 Key messages 168 Key messages 171 Connectivity science and management 171 Benefits 172 Governance 173 Legal instruments 175 Generic considerations 175 Special marine considerations 178 vii IUCN-EPLP No. 85 The Legal Aspects of Connectivity Conservation – A Concept Paper References 181 Articles/books/reports 181 Legal instruments 189 Websites 189 Boxes, tables, and figures Box 1: Growth of protected areas and systems 3 Box I(1)-1: Key ecological terms 14 Box I(1)-2: Guiding principles of environmental sustainability to guide stewardship 25 Box I(3)-1: Public participation and conservation agreements in Australia 44 Box I(3)-2: Landholder duty of care in Australia 44 Box I(3)-3: Continuum of possible collaborations 45 Box I(3)-4: Incentives 49 Box II(2)-1: Current EU Member States (as of 2012) 71 Box II(2)-2: The Netherlands Markermeer-IJmeer Ecosystem 73 Box II(3)-1: United Kingdom: combining regulatory and incentive approaches 81 Box II(3)-2: Diverse array of law and policy tools for connectivity conservation 81 Box II(3)-3: Australia National Wildlife Corridors Plan – objectives, guiding principles, and five-point action plan for implementation 84 Box II(3)-4: Examples of legal elements for sustainable use of soils 100 Box II(3)-5: General protection of special habitat types or zones in Denmark 102 Box II(3)-6: Non-legally binding plans 106 Box II(3)-7: Netherlands Ecological Network 109 Box II(3)-8: Planning in the UK 109 Box II(3)-9: Zoning in New South Wales, Australia 110 Box II(3)-10: Zoning in France 111 Box II(3)-11: Biodiversity certification of land use plans 115 Box II(3)-12: Development control under threatened species legislation 117 Box II(3)-13: Development control under pollution legislation 118 Box II(3)-14: Court attention to impacts of development on connectivity 118 Box II(3)-15: Providing a corridor as a condition of development approval 122 Box II(3)-16: Biodiversity offsets in New South Wales (NSW) 123 Box II(3)-17: Biodiversity offsets in the European Union 124 Box II(3)-18: Revolving Funds 128 Box II(3)-19: Ensuring compliance with management agreements 130 Box II(3)-20: United Kingdom and environmental stewardship 132 Box II(3)-21: The Netherlands: financial incentives for nature conservation 132 Box II(3)-22: Conservation banking (biobanking) in New South Wales 139 Box II(4)-1: Marine Spatial Planning in the United States 155 Table I(1)-1: Major sources of synthesized information on connectivity conservation 10 Table I(1)-2: Four types of connectivity 16 Table I(1)-3: Different spatial scales for connectivity 17 Table I(2)-1: Estimated worldwide carbon storage by region in gigatons (Gt) 34 Table I(2)-2: Categories of activities for support under REDD+.