CBD Conference In Nagoya To Face Collapse In Funding, Continuing Drumbeat Of Extinctions - Nature

[hatrack]

The future of the world's biodiversity hangs in the balance as countries convene for crucial negotiations next week in Nagoya, Japan. The 193 signatory nations to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) pledged eight years ago to cut species loss "significantly" by this year. But studies show that the health of global biodiversity is reaching a crisis point, with extinctions of mammal and amphibian species continuing to rise (see Nature 462, 263; 2009).

Conservation leaders hope that the meeting of CBD nations on 18–29 October will give the green light to a new set of international agreements to help protect biodiversity. These include 20 new ambitions to be met by 2020, such as halving the loss and degradation of forests and other natural habitats, and ensuring that agriculture and aquaculture are sustainably managed (see Nature doi:10.1038/news.2010.31; 2010).

Agreement on the general ambitions looks likely, but large international rifts over conservation funding and access to the genetic resources of ecologically rich nations are threatening to derail the negotiations over how to achieve them. Failure to reach agreement could be a severe setback for inter­national efforts to save biodiversity, says Jane Smart, director of biodiversity conservation at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, head­quartered in Gland, Switzerland. "It all comes down to what happens at Nagoya," she says. "If it does not succeed, rebuilding morale and momentum will be such a big mountain to climb."

EDIT

One fund-raising mechanism gaining support is the phasing out of subsidies that are harmful to biodiversity. For example, global subsidies to marine fisheries are estimated at around $15 billion–$35 billion annually, according to 2008 figures from the United Nations Environment Programme. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says that fish stocks in almost one-third of these fisheries are close to collapse or have already done so. "If we cut subsidies, this will free up a lot of funds that can be put back into protecting fisheries," says Lina Barrera, director of bio­diversity and ecosystem services at Conservation International, a non-profit green group based in Washington DC. Barrera is optimistic that the proposal to cut subsidies will be approved, because it has come through pre-meeting negotiations "relatively unscathed".

EDIT


http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101011/full/467764a.html

[Dead_Parrot]

1. What, us lift a finger?

No chance.

[hatrack]

2. I particularly like the "phasing out subsidies" bit - pure comedy gold!

:rofl:

[Nihil]

3. Hey, there's always a place for fluffy-bunny optimists!

It's usually standing against the wall with a target over their chest but still ...