Doing Our Part to Conserve Biodiversity and Sustainably Use Biological Resources
Canadians recognize the need to maintain a healthy environment and are concerned about the degradation of ecosystems and the loss of species and genetic diversity which result from human activities.
The Government of Canada, with support from provincial and territorial governments, signed and ratified the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992, believing it to be a very important global and national instrument for promoting and guiding efforts to conserve biodiversity to use biological resources sustainably.
As soon as the Convention was ratified, work on a Canadian Biodiversity Strategy began to determine the measures which were required to meet the obligations of the Convention and to enhance coordination of national efforts aimed at the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources.
The primary responsibility for conserving biodiversity and ensuring the sustainable use of biological resources is shared among provincial, territorial and federal governments. Therefore, an intergovernmental Biodiversity Working Group, with representation from every jurisdiction, was established to develop the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy by the end of 1994. Private property owners, businesses, indigenous people, conservation organizations, research institutions, foundations, and other groups also play an essential role in conserving biodiversity and sustainably using biological resources. Thus, a national non-governmental Biodiversity Advisory Group was established to provide advice to the Working Group.
The Strategy clearly recognizes that governments cannot act alone to ensure the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources and therefore, invites and encourages all Canadians to take action in support of the Strategy. The Strategy recognizes that Canadians live in a global community, that co-operation with other countries is required to conserve biodiversity and sustainably use biological resources, and that Canada has an important role to play in cooperating with other countries, especially developing countries, to implement the Convention.
Conserving biodiversity and sustainably using biological resources are fundamental to achieving sustainable development. Governments, indigenous people, businesses, conservation groups, individual citizens and others have developed, or are developing, conservation and sustainable development strategies, policies and plans to work towards ecological, economic, social and cultural sustainability.
The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy reaffirms that, in Canada, governments must create the policy and research conditions that will lead to the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources. The provincial, territorial and federal governments, in cooperation with stakeholders and members of the public, will pursue the implementation of the strategic directions contained in the Strategy, in accordance with their policies, plans, priorities and fiscal capabilities.
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Canadian Biodiversity Strategy: Executive Summary
Biodiversity supports human societies ecologically, economically, culturally and spiritually. Despite its importance, however, ecosystems are being degraded and species and genetic diversity reduced at an alarming rate due to the impact of our growing human population and increasing resource consumption rates. The global decline of biodiversity is now recognized as one of the most serious environmental issues facing humanity. Recognition of the world-wide impact of the decline of biodiversity inspired the global community to negotiate the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. The Canadian delegation was an active participant in these negotiations. The Prime Minister signed the Convention at the Earth Summit in June 1992 and, in December 1992, Canada became the first industrialized country to ratify it. The three objectives of the Biodiversity Convention are:
the conservation of biodiversity;
the sustainable use of biological resources; and
the fair and equitable sharing of benefits resulting from the use of genetic resources.
These objectives illustrate the nature and breadth of the Convention. As a global instrument, it sets the stage for each nation to assess the adequacy of current efforts to conserve biodiversity and sustainably use biological resources and to determine how gaps will be filled and opportunities realized. One of the key obligations for parties that have ratified the Convention is to prepare a national strategy. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy is a response to this obligation and has been developed as a guide to the implementation of the Biodiversity Convention in Canada. All of the strategic directions contained in the Strategy are relevant from a national perspective, but some elements of the Strategy may not be relevant in some jurisdictions. The Canadian Biodiversity Strategy recognizes existing constitutional and legislative responsibilities for biodiversity in Canada. It also emphasizes the importance of intergovernmental cooperation to create the policy, management and research conditions necessary to advance ecological management. Federal, provincial and territorial governments, in cooperation with stakeholders and members of the public, will pursue implementation of the directions contained in the Strategy according to their policies, plans, priorities and fiscal capabilities.
Elements of the Strategy
The Strategy presents a Vision for Canada:
A society that lives and develops as a part of nature, values the diversity of life, takes no more than can be replenished and leaves to future generations a nurturing and dynamic world, rich in its biodiversity.
In support of the Vision, the Strategy also presents a series of Guiding Principles that provide a foundation for implementing the strategic directions of the Strategy.
The Strategy provides a framework for action at all levels that will enhance our ability to ensure the productivity, diversity and integrity of our natural systems and, as a result, our ability as a nation to develop sustainably. It promotes the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of our biological resources, and describes how we will contribute to, and be involved with, international efforts to implement the Convention.
The Strategy has five goals, which are:
To conserve biodiversity and sustainably use biological resources;
To enhance both our understanding of ecosystems and our resource management capability;
To promote an understanding of the need to conserve biodiversity and sustainably use biological resources;
To provide incentives and legislation that support the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources; and
To work with other countries to conserve biodiversity, use biological resources sustainably and share equitably the benefits that arise from the utilization of genetic resources.
The Strategy recognizes that the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources and fundamental to Canada's indigenous communities. It describes mechanisms through which these communities will be able to develop their own understanding of, and response to, the Convention.
Proposed mechanisms for implementing the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy include:
the filing of jurisdictional reports -- within one year of the Strategy's approval -- on policies, activities and plans aimed at implementing the Strategy;
coordinating the implementation of national and international elements of the Strategy;
ensuring that there are mechanisms in place to permit and encourage non-government participation in the implementation of the Strategy; and
reporting on the status of biodiversity.
Successful implementation of the Strategy will be determined, in large measure, by the degree to which all parts of society adopt its vision and principles and contribute to achieving its goals. Ultimately, the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources will require the support and participation of individual citizens, local and indigenous communities, urban and regional governments, conservation groups, business and industry, and educational and research institutions.