3.4 Conservation of biodiversity Sustainable development Acronyms
WRI/IUCN/UNEP 1992 UN- United Nations
The rationale of experts from various disciplines on
-meeting the needs of the present without IUCN- International Union for the Conservation of Nature
the loss of biodiversity:
negatively impacting the needs of future UNEP- United Nations Environmental programme
- Diversity of organisms and ecological complexity
generations and biodiversity. CITES- Conservation on International Trade in Endangered Species
are good things.
Greenwash thought- is when organizations give UNDP- United Nations Development Programme
- Ultimately extinction of species is a bad thing
the impression that they have changed their WWF- Worldwide Fund for Nature
- Evolutionary adaptation is good
practices to have less impact on the environment, WRI- World Resources Institute
- Biological diversity has intrinsic value and we but they have changed nothing. NGO- non- governmental organisation
should try and conserve it. GO- governmental organisation
MDG- Millennium development goals
The Value of Biodiversity Conservation and preservation of biodiversity
Direct Conservations biologists don’t want to exclude humans from
Food sources- eating, preserve old varieties in case we need it for the future, pests and diseases can reserves or from interacting with other organisms. They consider
wipe out non- resistant strains, breeders are only one step ahead of the disease and require wild harvesting and hunting of species as long as it is sustainable. A
strains from which they may find resistant genes. conservationist biologist would look for ways to create income for
Natural products- medicines, fertilisers and pesticides derived from plants and animals, Guano is a local people from ecotourism or management of a reserve to allow
fertliser high in phosphate which is sea bird droppings, oil palms gives us oil for anything- margarine to education of the public by opening it up to access ( an
toiletries, rubber from rubber trees, linen from flax etc., honey, beeswax, natural perfumes, timber. anthropocentric viewpoint)
Indirect
Scientific and educational value- investigate and research the diversity of plants because we think we Preservation biology has an ecocentric world view which puts
should know. value on nature for its own intrinsic worth, not as a resource that
Biological control agents- control invasive species without the use of chemicals humans can exploit. Deep green ecologists argue that, whatever
Gene pools- wild animals and plants are sources of genes for hybridization and genetic engineering. the cost, species should be preserved regardless of their value or
Future potential for even more uses- indicator species e.g. lichens, can show air quality. Canaries used usefulness to humans. So the smallpox virus should not be
to be taken out to mines- if dies there was poisonous gas people should get out. destroyed according to preservation biologists although it cases
Human health- the first antibiotics (penicillin) were obtained from fungi, the rosy periwinkle form disease in humans. More difficult option than conservation.
Madagascan forest, is curing children with leukemia.
Human rights- if biodiversity is protected, indigenous people can continue to live in their native lands.
Efforts to conserve and preserve species and habitats rely on
Recreational- many people take vacations to areas of outstanding natural beauty, brings extra finance
citizen conservation organizations and governments.
the area and provides employment.
Conservation is mostly seen for the ‘public good’, politicians act to
Ecotourism- biodiversity is often the subject as aesthetic interest- spiritual fulfilment.
change public policy to align with conservation aims.
Ethical/ intrinsic value- the species has the right to exist- a bioright unrelated to human needs.
Humans have a responsibility to act as stewards of the earth.
Bio rights self- perpetuation- Biologically diverse ecosystems help to preserve their competent
species, reducing the need for future conservation efforts on single species.
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