Appendix 1.

Conservation and the Climate Convention


Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation



Biodiversity conservation and maintenance is explicitly built into the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as a part of the overarching objective. The reference to ecosystems in the convention objective has been widely quoted, but there are two other key paragraphs that help to put the objective in context. Three basic statements guide the Parties to the Convention on this matter. Article 2 of the convention states:


"The ultimate objective of this convention and any related legal instruments that the Conference of the Parties may adopt is to achieve, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time­frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change , to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner." (author's emphasis)


Supporting this emphasis on allowing ecosystems to adapt naturally is the following definition from Article 1.1:


"'Adverse effects of climate change' means changes in the physical environment or biota resulting from climate change which have significant deleterious effects on the composition, resilience or productivity of natural and managed ecosystems or on the operation of socio­economic systems or on human health and welfare." (author's emphasis)


And finally, Article 3.3 states that:


"The Parties should take precautionary measures to anticipate, prevent or minimize the causes of climate change and mitigate its adverse effects. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing such measures, taking into account that policies and measures to deal with climate change should be cost­effective so as to ensure global benefits at the lowest possible cost." (author's emphasis)



From these three statements it is clear that the Parties to the Convention must try to prevent negative impacts of climate change on biodiversity as well as on ecosystem structure and process. The reference to ecosystem resilience in Article 1.1 has not yet been widely noted, and may yet turn out to be a crucial guide to implementation of the Convention. Resilience in scientific terms describes the ability of an ecosystem to absorb changes in variable factors, such as climate or disturbance, without being destroyed or broken up.


Policy­makers need information on time­scales that allow them to use the best available analysis in ongoing decision­making and negotiation processes. Expert judgement has emerged as part of the impact and risk assessment process of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. WWF proposes a two­track approach for assessment of ecological limits to climate change. This would consist of interim target­setting for emissions reductions based on expert judgement, as well as review and assessment of existing data in parallel with a longer­term, more comprehensive analysis.





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Copyright 1996, The World Wide Fund For Nature