Global CA-CoP CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
for sustainable agriculture and land management
Dear BIOPLANNERS,
Today, Friday 22nd May 2020, is International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) and, like much of the rest of our lives, it has been affected in many ways by the current COVID-19 pandemic and has become yet another mostly online event. Below I am pasting a summary article provided by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and also a short letter from this week’s Science journal outlining how a positive outcome for biodiversity might be developed as part of the pandemic recovery.
More broadly, a group of seasoned zoonose researchers have published a broader 5 page opinion piece in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (PNAS) which lays out the many ways in which reducing the risk of emerging infectious diseases can also benefit biodiversity. Here is the link…….
Di Marco, Moreno, Michelle L Baker, Peter Daszak, Paul De Barro, Evan A Eskew, Cécile M Godde, and others, ‘Opinion: Sustainable Development Must Account for Pandemic Risk’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 12 (2020), 202001655 http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2001655117 (free access)
Finally, and I do not do cute very often but, hey, these are “unprecedented” times, here is a link to a National Geographic story on the recent discovery of an 8th species of pygmy seahorse from the Indian Ocean which is about the size of grain of rice. There is a very soothing 2 minute video of the species embedded in the article – sorely needed in these troubled times.
Best wishes to all BIOPLANNERS and family on this IDB – and stay safe.
David Duthie
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International Day on Biological Diversity Looks to Solutions Found in Nature
In its first ever online-only campaign, this International Day has focused on the theme, 'Our Solutions Are in Nature'.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has postponed some of the preparations related to the 2020 super year of biodiversity, the celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity aims to prompt reflection on the importance of working together at all levels to build a future of life in harmony with nature.
UN leaders marking the International Day for Biological Diversity challenged the international community to promote ecosystem-based solutions that address biodiversity loss, climate change, and land degradation simultaneously, and to mainstream biodiversity in economic sectors.
In its first-ever online-only campaign, this International Day has focused on the theme, ‘Our Solutions Are in Nature.’
The lead up to the Day, which is celebrated annually on 22 May, focused on science and traditional knowledge as a way to understand the drivers of biodiversity loss and pathways for a sustainable future, and linkages among biodiversity, climate, and land.
In 2020, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets were set to be achieved, and negotiations on a 2050 vision for biodiversity are underway.
The year 2020 is significant for international biodiversity policy for a number of reasons. The objectives in the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan on Biodiversity and its 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets were set to be achieved by the close of the year. In addition, the 2011-2020 UN Decade on Biodiversity is coming to a close. Reflections on these experiences are feeding into planning for the “post-2020” global biodiversity framework, which will provide a 2050 vision for biodiversity. The negotiation of a new framework is underway. Leaders from around the world are expected to focus on this framework at the UN Biodiversity Summit, in September. The new framework is scheduled to be adopted at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 15). While the COVID-19 pandemic has postponed some of these preparations and pushed them into 2021, the celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity aims to prompt reflection on the importance of working together at all levels to build a future of life in harmony with nature.
In a video message marking the Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted that “COVID-19 – which emanated from the wild – has shown how human health is intimately connected with our relationship to the natural world.” He emphasized the need to work together to preserve biodiversity in order to achieve the SDGs as we “seek to build back better from the current crisis.”
Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in a video message, stressed that biodiversity remains the answer to sustainable development challenges and basis for a sustainable future. She highlighted the need to build a resilient and sustainable global economy that incorporates nature and equitable sharing of its benefits. [CBD webpage for IDB 2020] [Message of UN Secretary-General] [More messages marking IDB 2020]
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Sills, Jennifer, Ryan M Pearson, Michael Sievers, Eva C McClure, Mischa P Turschwell, and Rod M Connolly, ‘COVID-19 Recovery Can Benefit Biodiversity’, ed. by Jennifer Sills, Science, 368 (2020), 838–39 http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abc1430 (free access)
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global crisis. Severe interruptions to international trade and travel are crippling economies and forcing re-evaluation of economic, health, and environmental trajectories. Given that COVID-19 has triggered widespread changes in human behavior and reductions in pollution (1, 2), it presents opportunities for further positive change. Lockdowns have spurred households to rethink consumer needs, making now an opportune time to promote sustainable consumer choices that will become more engrained with prolonged exposure (1). How we emerge from the state of lockdowns will drive a new world economy with lasting effects on global biodiversity and supply chains (3, 4).
The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to trigger enormous effects on biodiversity and conservation outcomes. This virus emerged due to wildlife exploitation (5), and the risk of new diseases increases with environmental degradation (6). Past events such as pandemics, wars, and financial crises have also triggered quantifiable environmental changes (7, 8). We can learn from such events to guide effective conservation strategy. National governments and intergovernmental organizations should adopt clear strategies to safeguard both biodiversity and human health throughout the COVID-19 recovery.
Active promotion and implementation of certain strategies could tip the balance in favor of positive biodiversity outcomes. We can reboot economies while protecting humans and nature by redesigning trade networks and supply chains to localize and better support sustainable consumer options. We can also strengthen environmental protections, improve environmental monitoring through better use of automation, and ensure that conservation funding schemes remain active.
Environmental policy has already moved in both directions. Although in some places, environmental protections have weakened (9), in others, governments have banned animal trade (3, 10) and aim to localize supply chains to increase resource security (11). Blanket wildlife trade bans are not the answer (3), but appropriately nuanced strategies that incorporate such measures should be encouraged. As we progress into a post–COVID-19 world, recovery strategies can be optimized to benefit biodiversity conservation and protect human health.
Ryan M. Pearson*, Michael Sievers, Eva C. McClure, Mischa P. Turschwell, Rod M. Connolly
Australian Rivers Institute–Coast & Estuaries, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD 4222, Australia.
*Corresponding author.
Email: [log in to unmask]
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