Biological diversity

Friday evening in Nagoya, Japan, a new treaty on biological diversity was signed by almost 200 nations. Finally some positive signals in international environmental work can be seen, even though the treaty is a compromise. The overall purpose is to reduce the loss of biodiversity over the coming 10 years.

The treaty contains an agreement on how to compensate nations for use of domestic "genetic resources", for example if a new pharmaceutical is developed from a medicinal plant. This is significant since many of these potential medinical plants exist in developing countries, whereas the companies using them are mainly from industrialised countries. 

Furthermore, it contains an agreement about protection of 17% of the land area and 10% of the ocean area on a national level. This was reduced from the proposed 20% and 15%.

[Biodiversity] [Environment] Share on Facebook

Another red list

Our use of the environment is not only putting animals in harms way; it has now been estimated that a fifth of the world's plant species are endangered. The numbers are terrible, 380,000 plant species are threatened. There is a small part of this that is due to natural reasons, but the vast majority is due to the human factor. As one of the biotopes with the largest biodiversity, the rainforest is also the biotope with the most threatened plant species. One reason for this is the large demand for palm oil. The palm oil plantations are a large threat to the rainforest and its inhabitants. Plants are the foundation of the ecosystem, and keeping the biodiversity is thus essential.

Next month the UN conference on biodiversity in Nagoya (Japan) will adress this issue. A international strategy will be needed, before it is too late.

[Biodiversity] [Plants] [Endangered]Share on Facebook