From: alanm@igc.apc.org (Alan McGowen)
Newsgroups: sci.environment
Subject: UICN Guatemala and BD since Rio
Date: 8 Oct 92 23:42:00 GMT
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1466601786:000:7728
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!alanm    Oct  8 16:42:00 1992


The following post may provide a bit of insight into post-Rio international
biodiversity developments. Note especially the remark "UNEP is developing a 
new International Convention on the Conservation of Biological Diversity"...
What, you may wonder, happened to the old biodiversity convention, the one
the US wouldn't sign? That convention was watered down, at Bush 
Administration insistence, into a much weaker form than the one most nations 
were initially willing to sign. The US negotiators at first indicated that
the weakened form was acceptable, but then President Bush refused to sign it
anyway, triggering a storm of outrage at the UNCED summit.

Immediately after Rio, a move to develop a re-strengthened form of the 
treaty began, and this is the "new International Convention" mentioned
here. There is also an excellent chance that the US will sign the strengthened
treaty in the probable next Administration under Clinton, and it may be that 
Bush has done the world a favor by refusing to sign the treaty at Rio -- it
now seems possible that we may get an even stronger version than the one
which preceded the US effort to gut the convention.

An ungutted biodiversity convention will require all signatories to enact
Endangered Species Act (ESA)-like legislation, and in fact the ESA in the
US was up for Congressional reapproval this past year, but reapproval has 
been delayed till next year. Again, in the Clinton Administration it is
likely that a badly-needed ecosystem-protection oriented bill of the sort 
conservation biologists have been advocating will supplant and greatly 
strengthen the ESA, and such a bill could act as a model for other nations' 
enabling legislation for the new biodiversity treaty. President Bush has 
stated that he intends to weaken the ESA if reelected, and of course would 
not sign the new stronger treaty.

In this area, as in so many others, the differences between the two candidates
are immense: Clinton wants to retain US leadership in this area, while Bush
would sacrifice it and even sabotage global efforts to stanch the world's 
biodiversity hemorrhage for the benefit of a few US special interests such as 
the timber lobby.

------------
Alan McGowen


*****************************************************************************

Organization: Union Internacional para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza

UICN's Biodiversity Strategy Programe

Description:

All the species have the right to exist.....

The world has being loosing the most fundamental capital stocks of
ecosistems, genes, habitats, and species.

This loss is altering the natural equilibrium, and essential functions, and
we don't know which are the key components of each of the ecosystems. The
loss of biodiversity has profound implications for development. Developing
world support their economy by the use of the natural resourcess.
Fisheries, forest, wildlife, crops are the main industry in this society.

Also at this countries the highly diverse of natural ecosystems which
support this wealth of species also mantain the hydrological cycles and
regulate climate, contribute to the process of soil formation, store the
cycle essential nutrients, absorb and break down pollutants and provide
sites for spiritual enrichment, tourism, recreation and research.

By wasting the riches of the earth today, we hamper the development
essential to meet the needs of tomorrow.

The conservation activieties of governmentes, institutions and concerned
individuals are too disparate, fragmented and limited to bring about
fundamental changes and are required to reverse this trend. Converting
depletion into sustainable use of our biological capital requires a
diverse, yet coordinated and participatory program that attacks the problem
at its roots, builds support among a wide range of institutions and
individuals, makes use of the best modern science and establishes the
conservation of biodiversity in its rightful place as a major development
goal.

Objectives:

- To develop a biodiversity conservation strategy which defines the options
  and oppotunities for policy action capable of achieving global goals
  while addresing local priorities.

- To ensure that information on the status of biological diversity in all
  parts of the world is available to those who requires such information in
  a form they can use.

- To analyse the root causes of the loss of biodiversity, and encaurage the
  development or reform of policies, laws, institutions and administrative
  procedures that will actively foster the maintenance and understantding
  of biological diversity.

- To identify and promote the skills, management methods and investments
  needed to provide more sustanable benefits from biological resources for
  local communities.

- To establish the conservation of biodiverstiy as a goal of development
  through th 1990 and beyond.

- To develop methods for interantional cooperation in the conservation of
  biodiversity and to promote greater international financial support for
  activities of highest priority.

Structure and Organization:

The biodiversity programme is a collaborative effort between the
International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN, World Resources
Institute (IUCN member) a the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Each organization is leading a specific area WRI lead the area of public
policy, UNEP is developing a new International Convention on the
Conservation of Biological Diversity, and IUCN is taking the lead in the
aspects dealing with species, genetics, resources, protected areas and
relatioship between biodiversity and development in major habitat types.

Services and Products:

A major result of the programe is the publication, promotion and wide
dissemination of The Biodiversity Conservation Strategy which was presented
on february 1992. The programme also provide information about
biodiversity, by the publication The Biodiverstity Status Report. Also is
working to Stimulate action to conserve biodiverstiy preparing The Decade
Action Plan for Conserving the Biodiversity.

Defining key sites and species for conserving biodiversity which will
identify and promote the knowledge, skills, policy reforms and investments
needed to conserve biodiversity and will specify practical actions that can
mobilize biological resources to meet human needs.

Conserving the biodivesrty outside protected areas, promoting the
sustainable utilization of the biodiversity by giving an appropiate
management of the resourcess. This will include the programs of Wetlands
Ecosystems, the Tropical Forest Ecosystems, Coastland Marine Ecosystems.

IUCN, also is Developing and improving policies and practicies for
conserving biodiversity supporting laws in conserving biodiverstity,
promoting the application of economics to conserving biodiversity, enabling
local human communities to conserve their biodiversity, wild life rationale
utilization, controlling introduced and invasive species, conserving plant
genetic resources, coserving indigenous medicinal plants, designing a
system or conserving biodiversity.

Our Geographics Concentration Areas are:

- Nakum-Yaaxja-Naranjo, El Peten        - Guatemala
- Montecristo                           - El Salvador
- La Tigra                              - Honduras
- Nicaragua                             - Nicaragua
- Tortuguero                            - Costa Rica
- Siapaz                                - Costa Rica
- Bocas del Toro                        - Panama

Our Regional forest reserves are:

- Trifinio Project                      - Guatemala, El Salvador,
                                          Honduras

Sergio Valle UICN Guatemala.
(cbarrien@huracan.cr)
Newsgroups: sci.environment