Biodiversity. What is Biodiversity? "The variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems.

Biodiversity

What is Biodiversity? 

• "The variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems" --Convention on Biological Diversity

 • "Variability within nature" --UK Biodiversity Action Plan

 • "Wide array of ecosystems, ecological processes, species

and genes" --Environment Canada 

Biodiversity Loss

• Species extinction and habitat loss• Today, biodiversity loss is 1000 times higher than the rates

found in the fossil record        http://www.glogster.com/media/4/12/37/46/12374610.gif

Causes of Biodiversity Loss

• Habitat Destruction• Invasive Species• Over exploitation• Climate Change• Overpopulation• Pollution

glaciermt.comhttp://www.iucn.org/iyb/about/biodiversity_crisis/

Why Do We Need Biodiversity?  

• Ecosystem services - $16-$64 trillion• Research - e.g. discovery of new medicine• Aesthetic value  • Food Security

http://www.iucn.org/iyb/about/biodiversity/

How To Fix Biodiversity Loss

• What is the market failure?o Under provision of a public goodo Lack of informationo Externalityo incomplete property rights

• What policies address this?  o Command and Control Regulationo Public Educationo Permittingo Tax Incentives

 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/

US Biodiversity Policy

The USA has no official national biodiversity policy. However, there are key pieces of legislation that help define US biodiversity policy. - US government policy has been primarily focused on conservation efforts for most of history - US Fish and Wildlife Service (http://www.fws.gov/)• US government's wildlife and conservation agency

 - Recent development• US government position moving closer to support an international biodiversity

agreement. (http://blogs.forbes.com/francisvorhies/2011/07/27/us-getting-serious-about-international-biodiversity-policy/)

US - Key National Legislation • The Lacey Act (1900) (http://www.fws.gov/news/newsreleases/LACEYACT.html)

o  The first environmental piece of legislation. Provides the ability for the federal government to regulate invasive species populations. Evolved over the 20th century to reflect the challenges of the time.

•  The Migratory Bird Conservation Act (1929) (http://www.fws.gov/refuges/realty/mbcc.html) Provision provided that allows the Federal government to rent/buy land that can be protected

to preserve the natural habitat for migratory bird The Clean Water Act (1948 (

http://www.usclimatenetwork.org/policy/resource-database/clean-air-act-and-wildlife-fact-sheet) Affects fish and wildlife that are dependent on water for their survival.

The Clean Air Act (1963) (http://www.usclimatenetwork.org/policy/resource-database/clean-air-act-and-wildlife-fact-sheet)

Has helped restore ozone in the atmosphere which is vital to the protection of trees and assisted in the mitigation of acid rain that devatstates natural habitat.

• Endangered Species Act of 1969 (1973) (http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/ESACT.HTML)o Often cited as the US's landmark biodiversity legislation (more info on the next slide).

• Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (1980) (http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/FWCON.HTML)o Allocates substantial funding to the states to assist with conservation efforts of natural habitats.

UK's Approach to Biodiversity

• Convention on Biological Diversityo International Treaty for the "conservation and sustainable

use of biological diversity" (CBD) • Biodiversity Action Plan

o Inventories potentially threatened species and habitatso Creates plans to protect species and habitatso The 4 countries of the UK have all designed their own

Action Plans • Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981

o  Protects wildlife and habitats of the UKo Amended to comply with EU directives

 www.jncc.defra.gov.uk

EU Biodiversity Policies

• Habitat Directiveo Protects 1000 animals and plant species and 200 

"habitat types" (EU) • Bird Directive

o Protects birds and their habitats  • Natura 2000

o EU-wide network of protected areas • EU biodiversity strategy to 2020

o  Goal to stop biodiversity loss by 2020o Focus on EU and the globe  

 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/

Biodiversity in Canada• 1973 Canada Wildlife Act

o Creates national wildlife areas • 1990 Wildlife Policy for Canada

o emphasized the restoration of biodiversity and ecological processes

• Migratory Birds Convention Act 1994o Protects birds from hunting and traffickingo Establishes Migratory Bird Refuges

•  1995 Canadian Biodiversity Strategyo produced by a group including federal, provincial and

territorial governmentso Guide to carrying out Canada's commitments  under the

Convention of Biodiversity

http://canadianbiodiversity.mcgill.ca/english/legislation/legislation.htm

Canadian Provinces

• Ontarioo The Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program

 A voluntary program administered by the MNR to provide lower property taxes to participating landowners who agree to conserve and actively manage their forests.

o Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program provides property tax relief to those landowners who agree to protect

the natural heritage value of their property• British Columbia

o Ecological Services Act Preserves land to protect species and habitats

o Wildlife Act Creates wildlife areas, protects endangered species,

and regulates invasive species

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/Biodiversity/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_166973.htmlhttp://wcel.org/sites/default/files/Biodiversity%20law%20and%20policy%20in%20British%20Columbia.pdf

Conclusions

• Comparatively speaking, the US has no official national biodiversity plan while the UK and Canada have national long-term biodiversity plans.

•  The most used policies are direct regulation and provision of information

• We may be going into a 6th mass extinction period, so it is very important to act now!

Questions?