Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 4 • Number 22 • 3rd December 2004
WCC3: CONSERVATIONISTS TO MAKE TRADE WORK FOR BIODIVERSITY
WCC3: CONSERVATIONISTS TO MAKE TRADE WORK FOR BIODIVERSITY
More than 4,800 participants in the 3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress met from 17-25 November in Bangkok, Thailand to re-think and re-focus biodiversity conservation efforts. In relation to trade, resolutions called for a rights-based approach to conservation, the promotion of food sovereignty and the protection of water for public benefit. Concerns about ameliorating the adverse impacts of trade on specific issues were integrated into a number of members’ motions. Accommodating fears about the impacts of genetically modified organisms, members approved two resolutions calling for credible knowledge and a moratorium on such organisms until proven safe. IUCN also decided to advocate action to combat illegal wildlife trade in the ASEAN region and globally.
Conservation, poverty and human rights
The overall theme of the congress, "People and Nature - only one world", was taken up by many motions that called for consideration of poverty alleviation and the realisation of human rights in conservation activities. While there was concern that focusing on poverty alleviation and development would distract IUCN from its mission, delegates agreed that biodiversity conservation cannot ignore development needs and called for an integrated approach. In this respect, resolution CGR3.RES065-REV1 encourages IUCN to consider human rights aspects of poverty and the environment in the context of its overall mission.
Noting that food sovereignty "is not opposed to trade but advocates for a system of international agricultural trade which prioritises local production for local markets before exports" and recognising the right to food, Members adopted resolution CGR3.RES067-REV1 calling for advocacy for food sovereignty in work with States and relevant international organizations and processes. Resolution CGR3.RES010-REV1 "Protecting the Earth’s waters for public and ecological benefit" urged the IUCN Director General to take action to ensure that "multilateral, regional or bilateral trade and investment agreements preserve the ability of governments to protect water for people and nature". References to possible adverse effects of global trade rules were removed during the revision process in both cases.
Precaution and risk management
Aware that the implementation of the Precautionary Principle presents crucial challenges for environmental governance and management, recommendation CGR3.REC008-REV1 calls for tools for the appropriate and effective application of the principle in ways that enhance conservation and sustainable development. The original motion, advocating a careful and assessment-based application of the principle in consistency with economic considerations and poverty alleviation, was significantly changed by the contact group. Applying the Precautionary Principle, resolution CGR3.RES011-REV1 calls for a moratorium on further environmental releases of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) until it can be demonstrated to be safe for biodiversity, human and animal health beyond reasonable doubt. Several State Members, including the European Union and Japan, spoke strongly against the adoption of the moratorium, preferring a case-by-case approach to the introduction of GMOs. Resolution CGR3.REV061-REV1 "Genetically Modified Organisms and Biodiversity" requests further initiatives including a plan of action to guide IUCN members on biodiversity and nature conservation in relation to GMOs.
Wildlife trade
Despite the fact that it is unsustainable and illegal, international commercial trade in wildlife and products derived from wild animals is rapidly increasing. Resolution CGR3.RES072 calls for an immediate, collective international effort to address this problem and urges States to enforce the legislation in place, especially the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Recognizing the link between conservation, health and security and the impacts of global wildlife trade on this, resolution CGR.REC025-REV1 additionally recommends action to control global wildlife trade. Further resolutions calling for better control of the trade in certain species such as sturgeon, antelopes and sharks were approved, as was the work programme for TRAFFIC, a joint programme of IUCN and WWF to combat adverse effects of wildlife trade.
International trade and biodiversity
IUCN also adopted the 2005-2008 Intersessional Programme that addresses population dynamics, consumption patterns, inequity, market failures and policy distortions as the five major underlying threats to sustainability. It further notes that multilateral instruments such as the WTO are having a major impact on biodiversity and sustainable development. To address these impacts, the programme aims at improving the understanding of how markets, institutions and socio-economic forces create incentives and disincentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Non-environmental international institutions such as the WTO should promote biodiversity and sustainable development criteria should be integrated into regional trade agreements. The new mandate of the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) in particular includes action for its Working Group on Environment, Trade and Investment (GETI) to improve coherence and mutual supportiveness among economic policy and trade, market dynamics and biodiversity conservation. A motion on "IUCN’s work on Trade and Investment Policy Matters" calling for better integration and capacity was tabled during the congress but was not considered for procedural reasons.
ICTSD Reporting.