Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Convention on Biological Diversity & other Initiatives

CBD moves forward on protected areas, stumbles on oceans

The 7th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD CoP7) ended with a major advance on protected areas. The adoption of a programme of work on protected areas and its related targets and timetables means that for the first time since its inception in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, CBD decisions should help slow the current rate of biodiversity loss.

However, by failing to agree on clear measures to preserve rich and productive marine and coastal areas, governments missed a unique opportunity to significantly boost the protection of the oceans, the conservation organization added.

WWF deplores the fact that although only 0.5 per cent of the oceans are currently protected - compared to 11 per cent for terrestrial areas - the parties to the CBD postponed the adoption of targets that would have given the green light to activities to halt the current loss of marine biodiversity, and to restore the health and productivity of the world's oceans and coasts.

These targets will now be deferred to the next CBD Conference of the Parties in 2006 in Brazil.

"The failure of the Parties to the CBD to adopt specific objectives for the protection of the oceans is all the more disappointing as strong proposals prepared for the meeting mysteriously failed to reach the conference table," said Gordon Shepherd, Head of WWF's delegation at the CBD CoP7. "Without measurable targets and timetables, execution and performance of concrete activities become something of a lottery. Governments should show a strong will to unequivocally protect oceans and coasts now and in the preparatory decisions to the next Conference of the Parties."

Even though inland waters protection suffered a similar fate to that of oceans, WWF points out that CBD CoP7 did make some headway.

Under the adopted programme of work on protected areas, countries will set national and regional targets to develop and implement action plans, including the creation of new parks and networks of protected areas.

"The programme of work on protected areas has a clear objective to establish a representative system of terrestrial protected areas by 2010, and marine protected areas by 2012. The agreed document is good for species, natural treasures and people," said Brooks Yeager, Vice President for Global Threats at WWF-US. "The decision of the Parties to call on the UN General Assembly to act urgently to protect deep water corals and sea mounts is particularly noteworthy."

The programme of work on protected areas recognizes that the least-developed countries and those with economies in transition need help to strengthen their own skills to implement the adopted objectives and measures.

It also recalls the obligation of CBD Parties to respect the rights of indigenous people and local communities, although this commitment has not been as strong as expected by the people concerned.

WWF also stresses that implementation of the good decisions taken at the CBD CoP7 depends on adequate funding. WWF believes that the services provided by protected areas need to be recognized and supported by funding from the richer countries.

More news from CoP7

Joint NGO Statement and Commitment
In the lead up to COP-7, WWF worked with a consortium of NGOs including Birdlife International, Conservation International, Flora and Fora International (FFI), Greenpeace, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Resources Institute (WRI).

This group prepared a Joint NGO Statement and Joint NGO Commitment on Protected Areas which offer the collective opinion of the group on the shape of the final programme of work on protected areas that was expected from CoP-7, as well as outlining how NGOs can assist in the implementation of the programme.