CHAPTER 10: TREATIES AND LEGAL MECHANISMS PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY
Intragenerational Equity - equity applied across communities and nations within one generation. Considered in international agreements for conservation.
International Agreements and Programs
Convention on Biological Diversity
Major objectives:
Conservation of Biological Diversity
Sustainable use of its components
Fair and Equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources
Convention requires each country to develop a program of conservation. Monitoring progress and provides assistance for developing countries.
World Heritage Convention
Heritage - the cultural and natural heritage that all people have an interest in protecting and conserving for future generations. Cultural heritage (e.g monuments, paintings, and cave dwellings). Natural Heritage (e.g geological, ecological and biological processes and important habitats for conservation of biological diversity).
Nations are responsible for assisting in the identification, protection and conservation of items listed on the World Heritage Register.
A World Heritage listings begin with evaluation of site/item by country's government against criteria set by the World Heritage Committee. Gov. submits the nomination to the World Heritage Committee in Paris. Nomination is either rejected, deferred or accepted for listing as World Heritage.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
The convention lists all endangered species that are affected by trade, or are likely to be. National that are party to the convention must regulate international trade in these listed species through permits, licensing and even prohibitions.
CITES has not halted trade in endangered species because:
not all national are signatories to this convention and therefore are not bound by its decisions
Illegal trading, poaching and smuggling continue often on a large scale.
CITES will allow exemptions to its rules for genuine scientific research.
Domestic Legislation and Policies
Provides clear rules that must be abided to ensure the conservation of biodiversity within Aus
Environment protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (CWLTH)
more info on what it contain on Page 71
Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (VIC)
Aims to ensure that Victoria's native species survive, flourish and keep their potential for evolutionary development. Developed to recognise, identify and manage the process that lead to extinction. Involves maintaining genetic diversity and protecting habitats, endangered species and sites or areas of environmental significance.
Victoria's Biodiversity Strategy
Fulfills requirement of Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act.
Involves a strategy that has a bioregional approach, dividing Vic into 21 terrestrial regions and 5 aquatic regions covering wetlands, rivers and coastal environments.
Recognising the state's flora and fauna is very diverse, with a range of ecological characteristics.
Allowing development of specific management strategies that reflect the underlying environmental features of the regions.
Local Planning Controls
Local Gov implement the state's planning laws that guise the planning and development of private land. These laws include provisions to ensure that the impact on the environment and associated biodiversity value is considered in planning decisions.
Guiding Sustainability Principles
Values that help us understand how different people, communities or nations value biodiversity.
Eccocentrism - perspective that places greatest intrinsic value on species and their natural environments (rather than individual organisms). Many indigenous cultures hold this perspective.
Biocentrism - biology is the central and driving science of the universe, humans are no more important that any other living things.
Anthropocentrism - belief that humans are the central or most significant species on the planet. Humans have a moral status or value higher than that of all other organisms. Prevailing perspective in western cultures.
Both biocentrism and ecocentrism perspectives value other species and the environment regardless of their perceived usefulness or importance to human beings.
STUDY DESIGN
Protection and restoration of biodiversity
• the application of relevant international, national, state and local legal treaties, agreements and regulatory frameworks that apply to the protection of threatened species including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, World Heritage areas, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Australia), Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, and local government conservation covenants