Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
6.2 The ecosystem approach as adopted by the CBD
One of the earliest recognized needs in meetings of the CBD was to seek an understanding
of interactions between species, and between species and their abiotic environment, at the
ecosystem level. Such needs were recognized from the first meeting of the Subsidiary Body
on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA), in Paris in 1995, in the con-
text of developing the first medium-term work plan. All CBD decisions can be found at
Later in 1995, COPII noted in decision II.8 (our emphasis):
1. Reaffirms
that the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and
its components should be addressed in a holistic manner, taking into account the
three levels of biological diversity and fully considering socio-economic and
cultural factors. However
,
the ecosystem approach should be the primary
framework of action to be taken under the Convention
;
By the time SBSTTA met again in 1997, it was discussing how to operationalize the nascent
marine and coastal biodiversity programme, and in recommendation III/2 SBSTTA noted,
inter alia, the need to:
Promote
ecosystem approaches
to the sustainable use of marine and coastal living
resources, including the identification of key variables or interactions, for the
purpose of assessing and monitoring:
(a)
Components of biological diversity;
(b)
The sustainable use of such components; and
(c)
Ecosystem effect
.
With the above recommendation, SBSTTA placed the ecosystem approach at the heart of
considerations of marine and coastal biodiversity, as well as ongoing terrestrial work.
