Global Environment Outlook 3 (GEO 3)

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STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND POLICY RETROSPECTIVE: 1972–2002

resources (see Chapter 1 for more information). The designation of protected areas, such as national parks, is one of the most widely used approaches for conserving habitats. In addition to national parks, a total of 167 sites have now been designated as natural heritage sites under the World Heritage Convention. The total area of protected sites has increased continuously during the past three decades from less than 3 million km 2 in 1970 to more than 12 million km 2 by the late 1990s (Green and

in increasing capacity to assess biodiversity and its value to people, securing adequate financial resources for conservation actions, and building political support for the changes necessary to ensure biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. It is clear from national reports that the implementation of the convention is making progress in most countries, as illustrated by preparation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans, increasing efforts to reform institutional and legislative arrangements, integration of biodiversity into sectoral activities and increased recognition by governments of the importance of the identification and monitoring of biological diversity. It is not yet possible to assess accurately the impacts of the CBD on biodiversity, partly because the CBD has been in force for only a short time. In addition, the parties to the convention have yet to develop any globally applicable criteria and indicators by which overall changes in biodiversity can be measured. It is clear that the convention has had some impact at the policy level in many countries. What remains difficult to assess is the depth of commitment to implementation and how any such policy changes may result in changes in the state of biodiversity. This issue is addressed in the strategic plan for the convention, currently under discussion. Climate change and global warming During the 1990s climate change emerged as one of the major potential threats to biodiversity. The IPCC concluded that climate change could lead to severe adverse impacts on ecosystems, and on the goods and services they provide (IPCC 2001). Some ecosystems might disappear, while others could experience dramatic changes in species composition. Desertification may increase in some areas and some species could also become more vulnerable to extinction (WRI and IUCN 1998). The impact of climate change on biodiversity to date is unclear. The increasing incidence of coral reef bleaching may be a consequence of recent rises in global ocean temperature (Goreau and others 2000). Reports of coral bleaching have increased greatly since 1989, with all records of mass bleaching occurring after this date. The most significant mass bleaching was associated with the 1997-98 ENSO event, when all ten reef provinces of the world were affected. In some areas, most notably the Indian

Global number and area of protected sites by year

11 496 sites

11 246 sites

9 767 sites

7 840 sites

6 098 sites

4 575 sites

3 392 sites

1970

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

2.78 million km 2

5.09

7.33

8.20

10.08 11.93 12.18

Paine 1997), indicating that there are continuing efforts by governments to establish protected areas. Although the effectiveness of protected areas for conserving biodiversity has been questioned, a recent analysis of 93 protected areas around the world indicated that most parks are successful at stopping land clearing and to a lesser extent at mitigating logging, hunting, fire and grazing (Bruner and others 2001). The most significant response to the biodiversity crisis during the past 30 years has been the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which entered into force in December 1993 and had been signed by 182 Parties by December 2001. The convention has three main goals: the conservation of biodiversity; sustainable use of the components of biodiversity; and sharing the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way (see Chapter 1). The CBD has resulted in major activity at both national and international levels, and in the increased coordination of cross-sectoral action within and between countries. However, major challenges remain

Total area of protected areas has increased from some 2.78 million km 2 in 1970 to more than 12 million km 2 by 2000 Note: areas of more than 1 000 ha, IUCN categories I-VI Source : compiled

from Green and Paine 1997 and UNEP-WCMC 2001b