UN Environmental Programme
Environmental Science
Topic: Questioning the role of States in preserving biodiversity hotspots.
Topic Brief
The concept of biodiversity hotspots was first developed by Dr Norman Myers in 1988. Dr Myers and many other supporting authors realised the significance of many of the earth's most precious environmental assets, and as such attempted to create a system by which these areas were protected. In order to qualify as a "hotspot", a region must meet two strict criteria: it must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants and endemics, and it has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation. There are at least 25 areas that qualify under this definition, and these sites support nearly 60% of the world's plant, bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian species. However, only a small percentage of these areas are now protected.
Whilst there has been support for the protection of such areas, there has also been a lot of criticism aimed at the scheme. A recent series of papers has pointed out that biodiversity hotspots do not address the concept of cost. The purpose of earmarking hotspots is not only to identify such regions, but to prioritize the spending on conservation. As there are hotspots in both the developed world and the developing world, it has been argued that the scheme does not take into account the cost variation of the land and the amounts needed for conservation between these regions. Added to this are arguments concerning the developing world's right to utilise its natural resources for development, as many of these invaluable resources are found in such hotspots.
The question then remains as to whether a system can be created that acknowledges not only the differences in the regions and allocates funds accordingly. Do we sacrifice the rights of the developing world in order to conserve regions in obvious need of protection? Your mission (should you choose to accept it!) will be to provide resolutions to these and many more controversial questions surrounding conservation in the twenty-first century. we look forward to some very spirited debate and hopefully a resolution that satisfies all these differing considerations!
Your Background Paper is available HERE.
What is the UN Environmental Programme?
Established in 1972, the United Nations (UN) Environmental Programme is a UN organ responsible for giving a voice to the environment. In accordance to their mission, the Programme aims to build a world that will improve people’s quality of life without compromising the Earth for future generations. The Programme’s mandate stems from General Assembly Resolution 2927 which charges it to maintain awareness of emerging environmental issues, to address global and regional environmental problems, and to facilitate the progression of environmental policy. Thus, the Programme promotes the sustainable development of the global environment, and their work includes assessing environmental conditions, and developing instruments and global institutions for wise environmental management
Your Director