Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities

1. Biodiversity & Island Life in the New Millennium Noah Idechong, Randy Thaman & Andrew Smith Plenary Session - Biodiversity Conservation Issues & Opportunities 7th Pacific Islands Conference on Nature Conservation & Protected Areas, Rarotonga, Cook Islands, July 8-12, 2002

2. Talk will cover: • Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation: • What does it mean? • Why mainstream? • Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific: • Definitions • Relevance • Threats • Challenges for the Working Groups: • Issues, opportunities, constraints and linkages • Questions, questions and more questions… • Details in paper by Thaman, et al.

3. “Mainstreaming”: • What does “mainstreaming” mean? • Why mainstream biodiversity conservation? • How do we mainstream biodiversity conservation? • Omelai lomoachel (“clearing the streams”)

4. The Changing Face of Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific: Since the 1985 Conference: • Community & traditional level • e.g. Micronesian Traditional Leaders Conference (July 1999) • National / Provincial / State govt. levels • Increased support for protected areas • Regional level • SPREP established as a separate organization • Issues more complex - need to get ahead • Proactive rather than reactive

5. Definition of Biodiversity: Term includes: • Island & ecosystem diversity • diversity of island types & their ecosystems • e.g. high or low, large or small, volcanic or limestone • unique biodiversity inheritance • all natural & cultural terrestrial, freshwater & marine ecosystems • e.g. forests, agricultural areas, mangroves, reefs

6. Definition of Biodiversity: Term includes: • Species & taxonomic diversity • all species & “taxa” (biological classifications) of wild & domesticated plants, animals & micro-organisms • e.g. mammals, sharks, finfish, grasses, ferns, fungi, bacteria

7. Definition of Biodiversity: Term includes: • Genetic diversity • all genetic types, breeds, cultivars or varieties • wild, domesticated & cultivated plants & animals • e.g. cultivars of yams, breadfruit, chickens, pigs • AND all chemical extracts from them • intellectual property rights

8. Definition of Biodiversity: Term includes: • Ethnobiodiversity • knowledge, uses, beliefs, conservation practices and language a society or culture has for their islands, ecosystems, species, taxa & genetic diversity • central to the definition of biodiversity in the Pacific islands • the islands, people & their knowledge, traditions & spirituality are seen as inseparable from the terrestrial, freshwater & marine ecosystems

9. Nature of Pacific Island Biodiversity: • Great diversity AND disparity in biological inheritances of different countries at the island, ecosystem & community levels • Paralleled by the diversity & disparity of the users & stakeholders of that biodiversity

10. Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: • Biodiversity ‘hotspots’, endemism, rarity are the main focus of international biodiversity conservation • often in remote areas, lack local names • Coastal areas, near villages/towns are where species of greatest cultural importance often found • often over-exploited, but of greatest cultural importance

11. Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: • Cultural importance (ethnobiological diversity) powerful tool for mainstreaming at community levels • catalog ecological services, uses & economic value to communities • “selling point” or incentive for mainstreaming biodiversity conservation • cultural valuable services & products as foundation for sustainable long-term livelihoods

12. Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: • Biodiversity, including ethnobiological knowledge, constitutes the “NATURAL & CULTURAL CAPITAL” • needed for development of current & future generations • Biodiversity inheritance = “living bank account” • passed from generation to generation to grow & produce “interest”

13. Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: • “Capital” must not be depleted or “spent” for short-term benefits at the expense of future generations • “embezzlement” resulting in… • “Biocultural Bankruptcy” • for our children & grandchildren

14. Significance of Biodiversity Conservation: Language: • Need to understand other terms being used, both across sectors & at different levels • “conservation” • “protection” • “management” • “sustainable use” • e.g. what “conservation” means to communities in Palau

15. Status of Pacific Biodiversity: • Rich biodiversity inheritance seriously threatened • Many ecosystems degraded, fragmented, or reduced • Many species are now rare or endangered • Ethnobiological diversity being lost • Impacts proportionally greater on small islands

16. Status of Pacific Biodiversity: • Natural or ecological threats (direct) • both natural & cultural threats that degrade ecosystems & their biodiversity • Social, institutional or infrastructrual threats (indirect) • indirectly threaten or undermine sustainable use or conservation • Global, regional, national & local threats

17. Status of Pacific Biodiversity: Examples: • Direct threats (examples only): • High frequency of extreme events/natural disasters • Upland & inland deforestation & forest degradation • Coastal & mangrove deforestation & degradation • Degraded freshwater resources & ecosystems • Alien invasive plants & animals • Overuse/overexploitation of marine resources

18. Status of Pacific Biodiversity: Examples: • Indirect threats (examples only): • Uncontrolled population growth • Loss of traditional & contemporary ethnobiological knowledge • Rapid & uncontrolled urbanization • Poverty & economic deterioration • Political instability & political ignorance or lack of political will to commit to conservation

19. Challenge of Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific (Summary): To promote the mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation, we must: • Clearly understand what biodiversity includes & what it means in the Pacific context (broader definition) • Recognize = “Natural & Cultural Capital” • See it is seriously & increasingly threatened • Include as an integral & priority component of ALL development initiatives (community & national)

20. Challenge of Mainstreaming Biodiversity Conservation in the Pacific (Summary): (cont.) • Must address threats now (this generation) • Or loose our biological inheritance and become “Bioculturally Bankrupt” - leading to possible economic, cultural & environmental breakdown in our islands • Biodiversity is the living foundation upon which our cultural and economic future depends

21. Challenge to the Working Groups: • What does “mainstreaming” really mean at the different levels (community, government, regional)? • Identify underlying linkages between levels • How do we make biodiversity relevant to people at all levels within the Pacific? • Expectations; thinking processes • How do we get people to re-connect with their environmental context? • How do we trigger the “ah ha” response?

22. Challenge to the Working Groups: • How do we address the issue of unsustainable commercial & subsistence use through mainstreaming? • Partnerships between various levels & groups • What implications will “globalization” have on mainstreaming at the different levels? • Need for a holistic, not sectoral, approach • Mainstreaming is not done in isolation - partnerships • Avoid the “victim mentality”