International nature protection

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International nature conservation is an independent term that combines measures for analysis, assessment, management and political instruments for the protection of nature on an international level. The term is used in political and social sciences as well as in biological ecology , nature conservation biology and nature conservation management. International nature conservation is now a component of global environmental policy as operated by UNEP . This field has gained in importance due to the effects of climate change , which among other things accelerates the loss of biological diversity . Politically, international nature conservation has gained in importance as an integral part of the concept of sustainable development . Since the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio in 1992 , the loss of biodiversity has been recognized as a global threat to human life. International nature conservation is necessary because nature crosses borders and the destruction of nature has long since reached global proportions. Therefore this cannot be countered with local or national activities alone.

Habitats for water birds such as oystercatchers are by international agreements protected

While in Germany the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the state laws give all nature conservation activities a legal framework, environmental laws are unknown in many countries in the south or legal regulations are not enforced. Fields of international nature conservation are the protection of biological diversity (also known as biodiversity protection ), international marine and coastal protection , nature protection in development cooperation . Exchange of information ( clearing house mechanism ) and participatory involvement of users by nature ( access and benefit sharing ).

In Germany, the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), which is subordinate to it, is responsible for international nature conservation.

Goals of international nature conservation

According to Erdmann (2003), the goals of international nature conservation are:

  • Securing the functionality, performance and regenerative capacity of the natural balance and its natural assets,
  • Protection of wild animals and plants in their natural communities,
  • Preservation and careful development of the uniqueness, diversity and beauty of nature and landscape.

The term international nature conservation covers activities of actors from different countries of the world with the common goal of preserving a species, an ecosystem or biodiversity in general. Depending on the number of states involved, there are bilateral (two states), multilateral (several states in a certain region) and international cooperation in nature conservation (open to all states). On the one hand, special nature conservation goals are to protect nature more effectively through joint activities than a state could do on its own. On the other hand, to preserve nature in its global diversity and the functionality of the natural balance in the entire biosphere.

Historical development and strategies

The first networking of national nature conservation efforts took place at the beginning of the 20th century in the border regions of individual countries. The institutionalization of nature conservation on an international level came about in 1948 with the establishment of the IUCN .

More than 20 years later, further effective efforts for international nature protection came from the maritime nature protection, as a result of the UN Conference on the Law of the Sea of ​​1974. The maritime law activist Elisabeth Mann-Borgese mobilized a lobby for international marine protection and brought the issue to internationally relevant political bodies for the first time. K.-H. Erdmann describes the following period from 1970 to 1990 as the "consolidation phase" in international nature conservation. Important impetus for conservation followed by the Conference on Environment and Development of the United Nations (UNCED) in 1992. With the introduction of the concept of sustainability (sustainability) joined the use of (v. A. Sustainable) natural assets into view. In the further development, the protection of nature is increasingly about resource protection.

This partly also led to a change in the idea of ​​nature conservation: up to now, when it was more about the preservation and preservation of nature ("conserving nature conservation") , the terms "natural development" and " second-hand living space " increasingly came into focus. The point of discussion is where nature develops under the influence of humans. In practice, the concept of "sustainable development" (and therefore consumption) is not always compatible with the goal of "protecting organic communities ". Since the Rio Conference, nature conservation has increasingly moved into the center of political and social discussions about concepts for a desired future development of the earth. Against the background of global warming , it is assumed that there will be a fundamental change in the mechanisms within biocenoses and a strong influence on natural material cycles (e.g. the drying up of the Gulf Stream or the reduced function of the oceans as a CO 2 sink). International nature conservation activities now include this global change in the natural foundations of life for many organisms in their protection considerations.

Global problem areas ( according to K.-H. Erdmann ) are:

The actors involved in applied nature conservation sometimes pursue very different objectives.

The American nature conservation organization Conservation International assumes that comprehensive protection of global biodiversity would be necessary. But today it is primarily about maintaining so-called biodiversity hotspots . That is why it works worldwide in regions with a particularly high biodiversity with the aim of maintaining long-term stable populations and rare biocenoses.

International nature conservation instruments

according to UPPPRINK 1997

  • Worldwide conventions, programs and guidelines
  • Regional conventions and programs for individual continents or regions
  • Bilateral agreements between two states
  • Development cooperation projects and nature conservation projects to secure protected areas and endangered species
  • Protected area partnerships, staff exchanges, cross-border neighborhood activities, training programs, international lobbying

International organizations

Internationally working NGOs:

International agreements

Internationally concluded agreements in nature conservation are usually divided into more passive and more active intergovernmental agreements. On the one hand, some agreements set legal standards. These tend to be of a passive regulatory nature, such as the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling . In contrast, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) , for example, calls on its members to actively ensure their biodiversity is preserved.

Since the late 1980s, a more holistic way of thinking has emerged in international agreements. Before that, agreements were made for individual areas (animal species, certain habitats, trade in endangered species, etc.).

Examples of international agreements:

  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The CBD is currently the most comprehensive and far-reaching set of rules in international nature conservation. The aim of this voluntary commitment by the member states is to preserve their diversity of animal and plant species and habitats. 197 states have signed a treaty to do so and are partially cooperating with one another in implementing the convention. As the term "convention" (Latin conventio "agreement, meeting") suggests, failure to comply with the agreement will not result in any restrictions or penalties against the member states. Nevertheless, the CBD is currently the most important political instrument for international biodiversity protection.
Important elements of the CBD are the identification and monitoring of the respective biodiversity (monitoring programs and "early warning systems"); Protection of biodiversity (in situ, i.e. in the ecosystem and ex situ, e.g. in appropriate facilities for storing seeds ( gene banks )); Research, education and public relations; Regulation of access to genetic resources and fair sharing of benefits when using them ( Access and Benefit Sharing , ABS), mostly through the valorization of genetic resources; Technology transfer , scientific cooperation and information exchange.
The countries of the agreement committed themselves to develop and implement national strategies for the conservation of their biological diversity. Germany worked on a national strategy on biological diversity for over 10 years and has been implementing it since 2010.
  • MARPOL , the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, was adopted in 1973 by the IMO (International Maritime Organization) and supplemented in 1978. First of all, this was primarily intended to prevent the pollution of the seas by oil. Today MARPOL is the most important international agreement for the protection of the marine environment in commercial shipping. MARPOL should in principle be enforced by the state under whose flag the ship is sailing. However, since flagging out merchant ships is now common practice and some of these ships never call at a port in their flag country, authorities in the port country are also allowed to monitor and enforce compliance with the regulations.
  • One of the most effective permanent international collaborations is the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat (Trilateral Wadden Sea Secretariat ). The neighbors Denmark, Germany (here the federal states of Lower Saxony, Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein) and Denmark concluded the Trilateral Wadden Sea Agreement for the sustainable protection of the transnational Wadden Sea habitat . Through the permanent secretariat of the agreement in Wilhelmshaven there is a lively exchange about activities and monitoring for nature conservation in all participating countries. While many transnational agreements remain with joint conferences and declarations of intent, the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat is used to exchange scientific (biological and geographic) data and develop joint strategies.

International initiatives

In many cases, non-state actors have designated protected areas independently , often before state agencies saw a need for action. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are not obliged to weigh up political interests, as they are usually privately financed ( associations , foundations ).

Important Bird Areas (IBA)

Since 1981 the national partners of BirdLife International (in Germany the NABU ) have designated Important Bird Areas (IBAs) as nature reserves worldwide . These areas (terrestrial and marine) are particularly important as resting and breeding areas for birds. Even if these areas are not legally binding at first, IBAs are usually transferred into national law or partially cover other protection categories. In Germany, many IBAs have been integrated into the NATURA 2000 network . In 2004 there were around 7,500 IBAs in almost 170 countries around the world; at the end of 2008 the number was around 10,000.

Important Plant Areas (IPA)

Inspired by the concept of the Important Bird Areas, a network of particularly protected habitats for plants was discussed at the International Botany Congress in St. Louis (Missouri, USA) in 1999. The process from a proposal to implementation in the most important tool for biodiversity protection (the Convention of Biological Diversity ) took a record three years: at the CBD conference in Kenya in 2002, the Global Strategy for the Protection of Plants (GSPC) was incorporated into the Convention added. The GSPC is a successful example of a grassroots movement that has made it into international politics and is now the global benchmark for botanical nature conservation. The Important Plant Areas are intended to guarantee comprehensive botanical nature conservation, whose protected assets include genes , species or clans, biotopes , ecosystems and biomes as well as the knowledge and cultural assets associated with them.

In Germany, the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) is entrusted with the implementation of the IPAs.

Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs)

KBAs are part of a nature conservation initiative developed by IUCN, BirdLife International and other organizations since 2004, which covers all taxonomic groups, i. H. Animals (e.g. birds, terrestrial vertebrates or fish) as well as the entire flora , recorded in existing or potential protected area systems. The KBA concept is a more holistic approach to the species spectrum under consideration compared to older nature conservation initiatives such as Important Bird Areas (IBAs), Important Plant Areas (IPAs) or the Alliance for Zero Extinction sites (AZE sites). KBAs are selected on the basis of standardized principles at various levels (national and international organizations, associations and institutions). The most important criteria are those of the vulnerability and indispensability of habitats for globally threatened species , endemic species , the accumulation of species in a certain area (e.g. resting places for migrating water birds ) or those species that are part of a very specific bioregion ( biome ). are instructed.

Biodiversity hotspots

The American nature conservation organization Conservation International has identified regions with the highest biodiversity worldwide and declared them to be biodiversity hotspots .

Global Marshall Plan Initiative

The Global Marshall Plan is an initiative that was first brought up by the American politician Al Gore and, in a broader sense, could also contribute to more effective protection of nature worldwide. According to the plan, a socio-ecological market economy is to be established, which includes (so-called) global governance as an essential instrument . According to this, the global community should adhere to social standards ( ILO labor standards ) as well as ecological standards. In addition to the Kyoto Protocol, this also includes the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Criticism of the concept of the Global Marshall Plan (among others by Attac ) is that it is only a socio-ecological modification of existing economic-neoliberal structures. Instead of another centralized global plan, the political implementation of existing standards ( occupational health and safety standards, Kyoto Protocol , biodiversity convention) would represent major progress.

International nature conservation through development cooperation

This field has gained in importance due to the effects of global warming , which accelerate the loss of biological diversity . More recent approaches to nature conservation assume that the protection of habitats or special plants and animal species can only be achieved if the population is significantly involved in the protection activities. Since a large part of global biodiversity is in developing and emerging countries, these regions play a particularly important role in global conservation efforts. At the international level, developing and emerging countries are demanding access to their biological resources ( seed banks, etc.) and the reusable use obtained from them ( access and benefit sharing ). Conflicts often arise from the protective interests of western states and the immediate economic interests of the local population. Mostly the actors try to build up alternative sources of income for the population ( ecotourism etc.). The implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is playing an increasingly important role .

In Germany, WWF , NABU , Euronatur and BUND work in the field of development and nature conservation through its partner Friends Of The Earth . The most important state actor is the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). Since the opening of the “iron curtain” in the early 1990s, the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) has also become increasingly involved at the international level, especially in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Aspects of international nature conservation

Biodiversity Conservation and Participation

Like development cooperation, international nature conservation is also characterized by different schools and currents. Since the mid-1990s, the idea of ​​public participation in nature conservation efforts has been gaining in importance. In doing so, people who use nature should be included and a win-win effect should be achieved by negotiating alternative uses .

See also

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Martin Uppenbrink in: K.-H. Erdmann (Ed.): Internationaler Naturschutz . Springer Verlag 1997, ISBN 3-540-62432-5 , p. 327ff.
  2. ↑ Martin Uppenbrink in: K.-H. Erdmann (Ed.): Internationaler Naturschutz . Springer Verlag 1997, ISBN 3-540-62432-5 , p. 327ff.
  3. ↑ Martin Uppenbrink in: K.-H. Erdmann (Ed.): Internationaler Naturschutz . Springer Verlag 1997, ISBN 3-540-62432-5 , p. 327ff.
  4. ↑ K.-H. Erdmann (Ed.): Internationaler Naturschutz . Springer Verlag 1997, p. 2 f.
  5. ↑ Martin Uppenbrink in: K.-H. Erdmann (Ed.): Internationaler Naturschutz . Springer Verlag 1997, ISBN 3-540-62432-5 , p. 327ff.
  6. ^ AZ of Areas of Biodiversity Importance: Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) .
  7. ↑ Langhammer, PF, Bakarr, MI, Bennun, LA, et al. (2007) Identification and Gap Analysis of Key Biodiversity Areas: Targets for Comprehensive Protected Area Systems ( Memento of the original from October 6, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: Der Archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 6.0 MB), Best Practice Protected Area Guidelines Series , 15, Gland: IUCN. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.iucn.org
  8. ↑ Eken, G., Bennun, L., Brooks, TM et al. (2004) Key biodiversity areas as site conservation targets ( memento of the original from September 13, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 376 kB), BioScience , 54, p. 1110-1118. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / library.conservation.org