Guest guest Posted January 13, 2004 Report Share Posted January 13, 2004 ***************************Advertisement*************************** eCentral - Your Entertainment Guide http://www.star-ecentral.com ***************************************************************** This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling. Comment from sender: This article is from The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my) URL: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2004/1/13/features/2004011310020\ 6 & sec=features ________________________ Tuesday January 13, 2004 Proceed with caution By TAN CHENG LI <b>As a consensus gradually emerged that Earth & #8217;s treasure trove of biological diversity could be saved only through international co-operation and funding, nations got together to enforce a global treaty aimed at preserving the planet & #8217;s priceless assets. TAN CHENG LI reports.</b> THE world & #8217;s biological diversity is vast & #8212; it comprises every form of life, from the smallest microbe to the largest animal, and the ecosystems of which they are a part. Scientists believe there are about 15 million species on Earth but, sadly, some 100 of them are lost each day as the human population escalates and takes over wild habitats. Many vanish unknown, for only 1.75 million species have been identified. This loss will hurt mankind & #8212; and not only because a world without polar bears, rhinos and birds would be a poorer place. Species provide humanity with abundant goods and services, from food, energy and materials to the genes that protect our crops and heal our diseases. As this biological heritage erodes, the potential for new and useful products diminishes. It also underpins the natural processes that help control soil erosion, purify water and air, as well as recycle carbon and nutrients. Scientists say even the most insignificant species can sometimes play a crucial role in the ecosystem. We simply do not know what we are eliminating. As a result of human activities, ecosystems are being degraded and species are becoming extinct or their numbers reduced to non-viable levels at an alarming rate. Today, the threat to the gene pool, species and ecosystems has never been greater. To arrest the loss of Earth & #8217;s biological treasure trove, governments adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992 during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The CBD has three goals: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of biodiversity, and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from use of genetic resources. A central tenet of the CBD is that conservation of biological diversity is a common concern of all humankind and as such is also the common responsibility of every nation and community. The global treaty identifies problems, sets goals and policies, and organises technical and financial co-operation. However, the responsibility for achieving its goals rests largely with the countries themselves. The 188 governments that have signed the treaty are obligated to conserve and use biodiversity sustainably. They have to develop national biodiversity strategies and action plans, and integrate these into broader national plans for the environment and development. Enshrined in the CBD is the “precautionary principle” & #8212; where there is a threat of significant reduction or loss of biological diversity, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to avoid or minimise such a threat. <b>From concept to reality</b> While past conservation efforts were aimed at protecting particular species and habitats, the CBD recognises that ecosystems, species and genetic resources must be used for the benefit of humans. However, this should be done in a way and at a rate that does not lead to the long-term decline of biological diversity. Historically, plant genetic resources were collected for commercial use outside their region of origin, for example as inputs in plant breeding. Often, the products would be sold and protected by patents or other intellectual property rights, without fair benefits to the source countries. The CBD addresses this shortcoming by recognising national sovereignty over all genetic resources and provides that access to such material be carried out on “mutually agreed terms” and subject to the “prior informed consent” of the country of origin. Thus when a micro-organism, plant, or animal is used commercially, the source country has the right to benefit either in the form of cash, profit-sharing, samples of the collection, participation in the scheme, training of researchers or transfer of equipment and know-how. Work has begun to translate this concept into reality and many countries have adopted laws and measures to regulate access to their genetic resources, such as requiring the bio-prospector to meet certain conditions. The CBD also recognises that indigenous and local communities have vast traditional knowledge and practices relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Thus member governments have undertaken to respect and preserve such knowledge and practice. <b>Making it work</b> The CBD & #8217;s ultimate authority is the Confer-ence of Parties (COP) which consists of all governments that have ratified the treaty. This governing body reviews progress under the Convention, identifies new priorities, and sets work plans for members. The COP will hold its seventh meeting in Kuala Lumpur next month. The Convention obligates governments to report on what they have done to implement the accord and meet its objectives. The COP uses these national reports to evaluate lessons learned, identify gaps in capabilities, determine needs for technical and financial support, and draft future work plans. Under the treaty, conservation programmes have been launched for forests, marine and coastal areas, agricultural biodiversity, inland water biodiversity and alien invasive species. Other efforts include stepping up expertise in taxonomy and developing indicators for biodiversity loss. As concerns over potential risks to biodiversity posed by modern biotechnology grew, an agreement was drafted under the CBD to address the fears. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted in January 2000 to govern the movements and use of living modified organisms. The first meeting on the Cartagena Protocol will be held in Kuala Lumpur next month. The CBD offers hope for the future by forging a new deal between governments, economic interests, environmentalists, indigenous peoples and local communities. However, much work lies ahead as progress towards sustainable development is still slow and the health of species continues to decline. Attention to environmental problems was distracted by a series of economic crises, budget deficits, and local and regional conflicts. Economic growth without adequate environmental safeguards is still the rule rather than the exception. Hopefully, the coming meetings will renew interest and efforts in preserving Earth & #8217;s biological wealth.<p> ________________________ Your one-stop information portal: The Star Online http://thestar.com.my http://biz.thestar.com.my http://classifieds.thestar.com.my http://cards.thestar.com.my http://search.thestar.com.my http://star-motoring.com http://star-space.com http://star-jobs.com http://star-ecentral.com http://star-techcentral.com 1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved. 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