Conservation Policies For Agricultural Biodiversity

Conservation Policies for Agricultural Biodiversity: A Comparative Study of Laws and Policies focuses on the challenge of securing the ecological future of the planet and its inhabitants by exploring the Convention of Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing and WTO laws, such as SPSS, TBT GATT. This book demonstrates how the urgent problem of biodiversity loss can be addressed by challenging notions of national self-interest and security for the purpose of implementing policies that will benefit humanity and, more importantly, ensure the future of our planet. Delves into the current approaches adopted in the framework of global environmental governance Investigates the origins, operations and effects of legal regimes, policies and practices related to the conservation of biodiversity Presents a comparative study of laws and policies, providing an in-depth understanding of the factors behind the lack of success in conserving agricultural biodiversity

The world relies on very few crop and animal species for agriculture and to supply its food needs. In recent decades, there has been increased appreciation of the risk this implies for food security and quality, especially in times of environmental change. As a result, agricultural biodiversity has moved to the top of research and policy agendas. This Handbook presents a comprehensive overview of our current knowledge of agricultural biodiversity in a series of specially commissioned chapters. It draws on multiple disciplines including plant and animal genetics, ecology, crop and animal science, food studies and nutrition, as well as social science subjects which explore the socio-economic, cultural, institutional, legal and policy aspects of agricultural biodiversity. It focuses not only on the core requirements to deliver a sustainable agriculture and food supply, but also highlights the additional ecosystem services provided by a diverse and resilient agricultural landscape and farming practices. The book provides an indispensable reference textbook for a wide range of courses in agriculture, ecology, biodiversity conservation and environmental studies.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region is exceptionally biodiverse. It contains about half of the world’s remaining tropical forests, nearly one-fifth of its coastal habitats, and some of its most productive agricultural and marine areas. But agriculture, fishing and other human activities linked to rapid population and economic growth increasingly threaten that biodiversity. Moreover, poverty, weak regulatory capacity, and limited political will hamper conservation. Given this dilemma, it is critically important to design conservation strategies on the basis of the best available information about both biodiversity and the track records of the various policies that have been used to protect it. This rigorously researched book has three key aims. It describes the status of biodiversity in LAC, the main threats to this biodiversity, and the drivers of these threats. It identifies the main policies being used to conserve biodiversity and assesses their effectiveness and potential for further implementation. It proposes five specific lines of practical action for conserving LAC biodiversity, based on: green agriculture; strengthening terrestrial protected areas and co-management; improving environmental governance; strengthening coastal and marine resource management; and improving biodiversity data and policy evaluation.

This volume is one of a number of publications to carry the results of the first research programme of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science's Beijer Institute. The Institute was formed in 1991 in order to promote interdisciplinary research between natural and social scientists on the interdependency between economic and ecological systems. In its first research programme, the Biodiversity Programme, the Institute brought together a number of leading economists and ecologists to address the theoretical and policy issues associated with the current high rates of biodiversity loss in such systems - whether the result of direct depletion, the destruction of habitat, or specialisation in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. l This volume reports some of the more policy-oriented work carried out under the programme. The broad aim of the programme is to further our understanding of the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, and to identify the options for addressing the problem. The results have turned out to be surprising to those who see biodiversity loss primarily in terms of the erosion of the genetic library. In various ways the work carried out under the programme has already begun to alter our perception of where the problem in biodiversity loss lies and what policy options are available to deal with it. Indeed, the programme has provided a powerful set of arguments for reappraising not just the economic and ecological implications of biodiversity loss, but the whole case for development based on specialisation of resource use.

This volume summarizes the current state of knowledge in the economic literature of management of agricultural biotechnology and biodiversity in agricultural and economic development. It identifies key issues confronting policy makers in managing biodiversity and biotechnology and provides a broad, multi-disciplinary analysis of the linkage between the two. It is especially innovative in its use of plant genetic resource management as the basis for is analysis.

Biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation are bothimportant societal goals demanding increasing internationalattention. While they may seem to be unrelated, the internationalpolicy frameworks that guide action to address them make anexplicit assumption that conserving biodiversity will help totackle global poverty. Part of the Conservation Science andPractice Series published with the Zoological Society ofLondon, this book explores the validity of that assumption. Thebook addresses a number of critical questions: Which aspects of biodiversity are of value to the poor? Does the relationship between biodiversity and poverty differaccording to particular ecological conditions? How do different conservation interventions vary in theirpoverty impacts? How do distributional and institutional issues affect thepoverty impacts of interventions? How do broader issues such as climate change and the globaleconomic system affect the biodiversity – povertyrelationship at different scales? This volume will be of interest to policy-makers, practitionersand researchers concerned with understanding the potential -and limitations - of integrated approaches to biodiversityconservation and poverty alleviation.

Tisdell has produced one of the best books in print about the economics of environmental conservation. This volume updates the 1991 edition by discussing more current issues, theories, developments, and analytic frameworks. Tisdell masterfully weaves into many chapters insights from ecological economics a somewhat new area of economics that cannot be ignored in informed discussions of environmental conservation. . . Tisdell writes clearly and documents each chapter extremely well. He presents a quite balanced view on policy issues, discussing pros and cons of different policies. . . Overall, an extraordinary book. Essential. Academic collections, upper-division undergraduate and up. D.D. Miller, Choice I like it alot and would certainly recommend it to students as an excellent entry point into environmental economics. It is certainly comprehensive, covering international through to local environmental issues, developed and developing country experiences across both green and brown topics. The book is written in a highly accessible style and embodies a rigorous theoretical base on which is developed a host of practical examples of application. This reflects Tisdell s wide ranging experience as one of the senior statesmen of environmental economics. Jeff Bennett, The Australian National University A second edition of this book is to be warmly welcomed. The insights it offers into the sustainable use of ecological resources, especially in developing countries, are important for those coming to the study of environmental, resource or ecological economics for the first time. While the treatment of new topics such as globalization and the Environmental Kuznets Curve adds value to the original text, the inclusion of much material from the first edition helps remind us that there is a rich and long-standing literature on this topic. Charles Perrings, University of York, UK In the second edition of Economics of Environmental Conservation Clem Tisdell applies wisdom, experience and carefully developed economic theory to dozens of conservation issues. The result is a wide ranging book that skillfully employs ecological economics to analyse conservation issues drawn often from Australia and Asia and relevant in many countries. The policy options proposed to the diverse conservation issues reflect a philosophy developed during more than thirty years research. The book is a rich source of insight and inspiration for anyone analysing environmental conservation issues. Ross Cullen, Lincoln University, New Zealand Few economists have the breadth of experience and depth of analytical capability to comment with insight on the vast array of issues that now comprise the environmental agenda. Clem Tisdell is one of that small band. Here is a welcome expansion of his already successful Economics of Environmental Conservation. Highly recommended. David Pearce, University College London, UK This fully updated and comprehensively revised edition of a classic text concentrates on the economics of conserving the living environment. It begins by covering the ethical foundations and basic economic paradigms essential for understanding and assessing ecological economics. General strategies for global environmental conservation, policies for government intervention, developing countries, preserving wildlife and biodiversity, open-access to and common property in natural resources, conservation of natural areas, forestry, agriculture and the environment, tourism, sustainable development and demographic change are also all covered. This second edition deals with contemporary environmental policy issues that can be expected to be of lasting concern and importance each chapter benefiting from either the addition of substantial sections of new material, valuable explanations or updates and revisions in light of developments in theory or world events and conditions. Updated techniques of economic analysis are also introduced, explained simply, and a

This book reflects current developments in the economics of agrobiodiversity and focuses its attention on the role agrobiodiversity can have for economic development. As a new and rapidly expanding subfield at the interface of environmental/ecological, agricultural and development economics, the editors and contributors to this volume provide a thorough, structured and authoritative coverage of this field. Topics covered include the economic modelling of agrobiodiversity, policy and governance solutions for the conservation of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, contracts, markets and valuation. The authors include well-known and respected academics and researchers who have a real policy perspective into the role of agrobiodiversity and economic development. The book provides coherent and up to date coverage of the economics of in-situ agrobiodiversity conservation which is to a large extent currently absent. Though the material in the volume is primarily written for economists, its content and style are highly relevant and accessible to ecologists and conservation biologists, and to academics from other broad disciplines that are located within the areas of economics and ecology.

The process of rapid development comes with a price and it is mostly done at the expense of biodiversity and general environmental degradation. The complex interrelationship between agricultural biodiversity and biotechnology as well as the conflicting institutional interplay in the international governance of the conservation and use of plant genetic resources has resulted in a trade-environment deadlock between the technologically advanced developed nations and genetically resource rich developing and least developed nations to the detriment of the collective interests of the global community. The aim of the current research is to investigate the origins, operations and effects of legal regimes, policies and practices related to conservation of biodiversity. It undertakes a comparative study of laws and policies in this area to gain an in-depth understanding of the factors behind the lack of success in conserving biodiversity in general and agricultural biodiversity in particular and explores ways in which the conflicts between the WTO Agreements and the CBD can be resolved. The research undertook a socio-legal approach utilizing a qualitative research method which predominantly relied on content analysis of provisions in the various treaties that had a bearing on conservation of biodiversity as well as decided cases, reports and studies that analyzed the implementation of these treaties. The findings of the study indicated that global governance structures such as the WTO and the CBD have to reinvent themselves in order to meet the challenges of the millennia brought about by cutting edge technologies such as modern biotechnology. The global community also must have an Ubuntu mindset i.e. unity consciousness to tackle global challenges such as biodiversity loss and global warming which threatens the wellbeing of the planet and its inhabitants. Without such a mindset, no technology, policies or laws will be able to avert the global crises which may culminate into massive extinctions and jeopardize the future of this planet. We need to ensure that our policies and laws are entrenched with ethical values promoted at the global level aimed at ensuring the wellbeing of all.

Mature ecological criticism of agricultural policies is not easy: targets agreed in Biodiversity Action Plans must be achieved within a framework of agricultural and economic policies. Developing a balanced solution is the essence of sustainability. Until recently the hidden costs of high-production systems on biodiversity has been ignored. This booklet identifies some of the hidden costs of unsustainable production, and also considers examples where conservation management has failed. The authors argue that sustainable land management is possible, and that conservation and production interests can be satisfied. They go on to show how a sustainable approach can be applied throughout Europe. The approach adopted is the one that has underpinned the development of the European Union Biodiversity strategy and is becoming a compelling force for change in Europe's decision-making processes. Land managers and planners, ecologists and agriculturalists will, in particular, find this booklet an invaluable resource. However, it will also appeal to those with a more general interest in the issues of land management.

There can be little doubt that there are truly colossal challenges associated with providing food, fibre and energy for an expanding world population without further accelerating already rapid rates of biodiversity loss and undermining the ecosystem processes on which we all depend. These challenges are further complicated by rapid changes in climate and its additional direct impacts on agriculture, biodiversity and ecological processes. There are many different viewpoints about the best way to deal with the myriad issues associated with land use intensification and this book canvasses a number of these from different parts of the tropical and temperate world. Chapters focus on whether science can suggest new and improved approaches to reducing the conflict between productive land use and biodiversity conservation. Who should read this book? Policy makers in regional, state and federal governments, as well as scientists and the interested lay public.

The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are issues that have been high on the policy agenda since the first Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. As part of efforts to implement in situ conservation, a methodology referred to as community biodiversity management (CBM) has been developed by those engaged in this arena. CBM contributes to the empowerment of farming communities to manage their biological resources and make informed decisions on the conservation and use of agrobiodiversity. This book is the first to set out a clear overview of CBM as a methodology for meeting socio-environmental changes. CBM is shown to be a key strategy that promotes community resilience, and contributes to the conservation of plant genetic resources. The authors present the underlying concepts and theories of CBM as well as its methodology and practices, and introduce case studies primarily from Brazil, Ethiopia, France, India, and Nepal. Contributors include farmers, leaders of farmers’ organizations, professionals from conservation and development organizations, students and scientists. The book offers inspiration to all those involved in the conservation and use of agrobiodiversity within livelihood development and presents ideas for the implementation of farmers’ rights. The wide collection of experiences illustrates the efforts made by communities throughout the world to cope with change while using diversity and engaging in learning processes. It links these grassroots efforts with debates in policy arenas as a means to respond to the unpredictable changes, such as climate change, that communities face in sustaining their livelihoods.

The present book has been designed to bind prime knowledge of climate change-induced impacts on various aspects of our environment and its biological diversity. The book also contains updated information, methods and tools for the monitoring and conservation of impacted biological diversity.

This book is organised into three parts. The first part provides an introduction to the topic of agricultural biodiversity. The second part assesses each major sector; crop genetic resources, farm animal diversity, fish and aquatic life, forests, soil biodiversity and microbial genetic resources. The third part of the book focuses on outstanding policy issues and examines the emerging policy agenda for agricultural biodiversity. The loss of agricultural biodiversity threatens world food-security and this theme runs central to the chapters in this book.