HANGING IN THE BALANCE
CONSERVING BIODIVERSITY
By Paritosh Srivastava
|
The International Day for Biological Diversity is commemorated annually on 22 May. According to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the theme for 2005, Biodiversity: Life Insurance
for our Changing World, “reminds us of the central role of biodiversity in underpinning sustainable development and in protecting society from the consequences of unexpected shocks, such as water shortages, the emergence of infectious diseases, extreme weather events and the genetic vulnerability of crops and livestock”. However, biodiversity continues to decline and ecological balance is still being altered. Approximately 60 per cent of the ecosystem are being degraded or used unsustainably, resulting in biodiversity loss, with harmful consequences that could significantly get worst in the next 50 years.
The World Conservation Union recognizes seven major factors contributing to biodiversity loss: habitat loss and fragmentation; competition from invasive species; pollution; global climate change; desertification; population growth and over-consumption; and unsustainable use of natural resources. Many of these factors are upshots of human activities. Landscape alterations, through deforestation or fire, and urbanization fragment habitats and make survival for many species complex. Infrastructures, such as roads, highways and power plants, are often constructed at the expense of other species. Because vast areas get fragmented, many species are unable to cope and therefore go extinct. Desertification caused primarily by climate variability and human activities leads to biodiversity loss. Trees are cut down without any regenerative alternatives and livestock is made to overgraze, resulting in a decline in the land’s economic productivity and its abandonment by inhabitants for other productive regions.
Population growth and exploitation of natural resources are also major causes of biodiversity loss. Due to high fertility rates, many communities are forced to exploit resources beyond their carrying capacities. To meet the demands of an ever-growing population, city boundaries are continually redesigned and forests are cleared, limiting and disrupting the species’ niche and making it difficult for them to adapt to varying environments. It also reduces the survival prospects of endangered species (see box).
Progress has been made to prevent the loss of biodiversity and to raise awareness about its crucial role in maintaining ecological balance. In 1975, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) went into effect to eliminate trading of endangered animals. Similarly, the Convention on Biological Diversity was ratified by more than 160 countries and entered into force in December 1993. The United Nations has pledged to ensure environmental sustainability by 2015 as one of its Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Misuse of natural resources, such as wood for fuel, land for grazing livestock and water for household chores, all contribute to biodiversity loss. The poor are entirely dependent on the environment for their livelihoods. As the population grows, the pressure on the ecosystem becomes intense. It should be realized that poverty reduction and environmental sustainability are deeply interrelated, and tackling one issue would require attending to the other as well. Many strategies, including ecotourism, agro-ecology, eco-aquaculture and non-timber forestry products, have been developed, which combine poverty alleviation with environmental sustainability measures.
Ecological tourism was introduced in the 1980s, and in 2002 the United Nations launched the International Year of Ecotourism. It encompasses, among others, the conservation of biological and cultural diversity, promotion of sustainable use of biodiversity by creating jobs, sharing socio-economic benefits with local communities, increasing environmental and cultural knowledge, and reducing environmental impact on tourist areas. Some countries that have developed ecotourism are Brazil, Indonesia, Nepal and Peru. Agro-ecology is the concept of applying ideas and principles to agriculture to make farming more sustainable; similarly, eco-aquaculture applies ecological principles to the cultivation and harvest of aquatic animals.
In addition, “community-based conservation” initiatives, which integrate conservation and development objectives, have gained attention over the years in addressing the MDGs. Their objective is to improve the lives of people while conserving areas through the creation of national parks or wildlife refuges. Despite their low success rates to date, these initiatives may be more practical than other mainstream conservation strategies. This approach is wider in focus and applicability in terms of conserving biodiversity, helps achieve poverty reduction and acknowledges the role of non-monetary incentives for encouraging conservation, such as community empowerment through people’s knowledge and the sharing of power.
Various countries have adopted this initiative. For example, India’s Forestry Research Education and Extension Project involves local communities in eco-development, which explores new ways of generating income rather than exploiting natural resources as a source of revenue. This works because the grass-roots approach has instilled trust in local people and made them confident to take charge of creating and implementing micro-plans. In the Communal Areas Management Program for Indigenous Resources, the Government of Zimbabwe has transferred the ownership of wildlife on communal lands to the communities, which sell hunting or photographic concession to safari companies. Zimbabwe’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management sets hunting quotas and trophy fees in each communal area, while local authorities bear responsibility for wildlife protection and management. Another initiative is the Matetsi Project, consisting of various micro-projects, such as grazing management that brings together herders to create holistic grazing plans, leading to improved soil aeration, water penetration, seed germination and ground cover. Other projects include village banking, founded on the concept of microcredit and enterprise training that teaches people about marketing and financial tools to make their products available to the mainstream markets.
It is crucial to tackle the root factors of biodiversity loss, such as population growth and human settlement expansion. Keeping the population under control would automatically prevent habitat and biodiversity loss. Yet, conservation programmes should be launched with those aimed at curbing population growth and should originate at the grass-roots level. In order to get the support of the general public for any government-run programmes, local dwellers should be given the privilege and the recognition that their indigenous knowledge is vital to conservation of biodiversity. |
Endangered SpeciesBelow are some of the most well known species that are on the verge of extinction:
Tigers: Due to tremendous rise in human population, tigers are in grave danger, especially in India where 60 per cent of them roam. As tigers are restricted to small areas of land, they compete with human beings for habitat space, and because of the decline in food supplies, their population diminishes over time. Often threatened by the tiger population and to acquire more space to grow extra crops and graze animals, local inhabitants poison and kill the tigers.
Elephants: Like any other endangered species in Africa and Asia, elephants are vulnerable and at risk from poaching and habitat loss. Besides being the largest terrestrial mammal, they are also important for ecological balance. When an elephant forages, it uproots plants and scatters fodder, thus dispersing seeds and food to smaller herbivores. Many plant species germinate only when they pass through an elephant’s digestive track; therefore, losing the elephants can have a drastic effect on both micro- and macro-organisms that are linked to the elephant’s food web.
Chimpanzees: Africa’s wildlife faces similar challenges. As the world population continues to grow, habitat loss is at the verge for chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos. Land expansions, meat hunting and animal trade for entertainment and biomedical research have put eco-diversity of species-rich areas in grave danger.
Panda bears: High-activity logging and forest clearance for agricultural settlement have left the giant pandas with only limited space, making their survival challenging as they live only on dense bamboo stands that provide them food and cover. Despite stringent penalties for poaching and illegal trading of panda skins, these animals are still illegally captured.
Coral: Often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea”, coral reefs are important because they are the niches and sources of food for many sea creatures. Estimates suggest that two thirds of the world coral is dying mainly because of over-fishing, overuse of water systems and pollution caused by sewage, fertilizers and sediment run-off.
|
Go Back Top
|
|
Print 