Governing Global Biodiversity

Predictions about the success of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are pessimistic. It has now become commonplace to bemoan the scope, ambition, and deeply political nature of a convention that addresses issues ranging from ecosystems protection to the exploitation of genetic resources, from conservation to justice, and from commerce to scientific knowledge. Ten years after its adoption, how can we assess the difference that the CBD has made? Is it in danger of collapsing under its own weight or is it building the foundations of new patterns of relations between societies and nature? What achievements can we record and what challenges does it face? In this book, which is unique in its scope, diversity and the wealth of information it contains, contributors from a variety of academic disciplines tackle an issue of enduring importance to the protection of biodiversity and enhance our understanding of humanity's capacity to reconcile its various aspirations and halt the destructive path upon which it is set. Contents: Introduction: the emergence of biodiversity governance, Philippe G. Le Prestre; The story of the biodiversity convention: from negotiation to implementation, Désirée M. McGraw; The Cartagena protocol on biosafety, François Pythoud and Urs P. Thomas; Studying the effectiveness of the CBD, Philippe G. Le Prestre; The operation of the CBD convention governance system, Philippe G. Le Prestre; The clearing-house mechanism: an effective tool for implementing the convention on biological diversity?, Geneviève Reed; The emergence and implementation of the advance informed agreement procedure, Amanda Wolf; The fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the exploitation of genetic resources: a difficult transition from principles to reality, François Blais; The role of indigenous peoples in conservation actions: a case study of cultural differences and conversation priorities, Catherine Potvin, Jean-Pierre Revéret, Geneviève Patenaude and Jane Hutton; The CBD, the WTO and the FAO: the emergence of phytogenetic governance, Urs P. Thomas; The science and policy of global biodiversity protection, Louis Guay; Economics and biodiversity management, Jean-Pierre Revéret and Alain Webster; Development of Canadian policy on and the protection of marine diversity, Paule Halley; Devoted friends: the implementation of the convention on biological diversity in Madagascar, Mark Hufty and Frank Muttenzer; Conclusion: the long road to a new order, Philippe G. Le Prestre. Annexes: Chronology of the convention on biological diversity; Dimensions of the CBD; The convention on biological diversity; Bibliography; Index.