1. Recapping Mangroves

2. Biodiversity- the future?
BIODIVERSITY UNDERTHREAT:
To look at possible futures for the biodiversity of our planet
To evaluate the various strategies

3. Changing Perceptions of Ecosystems
PEOPLE’S perceptions of
ecosystems
Perception: Need to conserve
ecosystems and use
sustainably
Perception: Need to use
ecosystems as a direct
source of income
Education to
alter
perception
Action: Management of
ecosystems and
sustainable yields
Action: deforestation,
conversion to farmland,
overfishing
Provision of
alternative income
sources and
management
methods
Impact: degradation of
biodiversity
Impact: Positive impact on
biodiversity

4. Guanyinshan Nature Reserve, China
In 1980s China passed laws leading to conservation of depleted bamboo forests, the main source of nourishment for the Giant Panda
Key Question
Despite these laws
why do you think
Giant Panda numbers
have decreased?

5. Guanyinshan Nature Reserve, China
In the Quinling Mountains a large section of the nature reserve was bisected by a road, separating two population of panda
BUT now the road has been replaced with a tunnel and bamboo has been planted to join the two section together

6. Guanyinshan Nature Reserve, China
Although China is developing its population and economy which can lead to environmental degradation it can mean there is money available to invest in conservation

7. Current problems
Only 12% of Earth is said to warrant protection. Only 1% of marine areas
Protected areas are fragmented and unevenly distributed
Funds are short, especially in LDC countries
Although it is said to be protected does not mean area will be successfully conserved
Areas not protected are still very threatened by pollution, climate change invasive species and unsustainable development

8. Biodiversity and the Millennium Development Goals
The millennium development goals adopted by world leaders in September 2000 at the millennium UN summit
The 8 MDGs break down into 21 quantifiable targets that are measured by 60 indicators.
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

9. MDGs
Obviously goal 7 deals explicitly with biodiversity, but biodiversity is interlinked with many other goals
Eradicating hunger (goal 1) depends much on sustainable agricultural production , which relies on maintaining soils
The capacity of fisheries to supply hundreds of people with bulk of protein depends on maintaining coral and mangroves
Improving health and sanitation (goals 4,5 and 6)require healthy freshwater ecosystems to provide adequate clean water and medicinal resources
This contributes to gender equality (MDG 3) as women are mainly responsible for water collection

10. Link between poverty and biodiversity
Poverty and biodiversity are inextricably linked
Poor ~(esp rural) rely on biodiversity for food, fuel, shelter, medicine and livelihood
Biodiversity also provides the critical ecosystems on which development depends, including air and water purification
Biodiversity exacerbates poverty and likewise poverty is a major threat to biodiversity

11. Scenarios
The Millennium Ecosystems Assessment (MEA), tried to explore plausible futures for ecosystems and human well being by 2050
They explored
New development pathways- one where world increasingly globalises, the other where it becomes increasingly regional
2 different approaches to ecosystem management- one in which actions are reactive and most problems are addressed only after they are obvious, the other in which ecosystem management is proactive and policies seek to manage ecosystem services for the future

12. The MEAs 4 scenarios GLOBAL ORCHESTRATION (1)
Globally connected society focussing on global trade and economic liberalisation
Approach to ecosystem issues is reactive. Strong steps are taken to reduce poverty and inequality and invests in public goods. Economic growth is highest here and predicted population is lowest
ORDER FROM STRENGTH (2)
Regionalised and fragmented world, concerned with security and protection. Little attention to public goods. Reactive apporach to ecosystem management Economic growth rates are lowest (esp in poorer areas) Population growth is the highest
ADAPTING MOSAIC (3)
Regional watershed scale ecosystems are focus of political and economic activity. Local management of ecosystems common. Proactive ecosystem management. Initial economic growth is low but increases over time. Population nearly as high as in 2
TECHNO GARDEN (4)
Globally connected world reliant on env sound tech, using highly managed ecosystems to deliver services. Takes a proactive approach to ecosystem management
Economic growth relatively high and accelerates. Population is mid range of scenarios

13. What do you think? Use pg 132-133 to help
What are the pros and cons of each of the 4 scenarios?
Which overall do you think offers the best scenario? Why?

14. WWF’s living Planet Index Report
Defines two possible pathways (actions and ways), on the basis of these WWF anticipates 4 possible scenarios
Business as usual- increased ecological footprint and no reduction in the overshoot (ecological deficit) or of the degree to which consumption exceeds biological capacities
Slow shift- gradual eco footprint reduction through developing sustainable policies so that biological capacities recover by 2100
Rapid reduction- radical policies to control ecological footprint, overshoot eliminated by 2040
Shrink and share- breaking down the world into regions in order to share responsibilities of controlling overshoot by global cooperation

15. The convention on Biodiversity
Signed by 150 world leaders at Rio Earth Summit in 1992
Signed to achieve reduction in current loss rate of biodiversity at all scales
Convention recognises people’s role in protection and conservation that people need to have security before protecting the environment around them
The positive trend from this
Protected areas have doubled
Water quality has been improved

16. What are the prospects of achieving the target?
Temperate degradation is predicted to reduce, but tropical will increase
Time lags are too big changes cannot make a difference over night it takes years, so sooner started sooner results seen
Agricultural efficiency needs to improve rapidly to reduce impact on biodiversity
Trade agreements should involve looking at how biodiversity is affected
Strategies to reduce poverty need to include conservation and sustainable biodiversity use

17. Review Questions
Evaluate the relative importance of global and local threats to one named global ecosystem (15 marks) Referring to examples, discuss the threats to biodiversity hotspots and why these threats could prove critical (15 marks) With reference to examples, assess the relative importance of physical and human factors in influencing biodiversity (15 marks)