Comments at CBD PreCoP10 Meeting

I gave comments on the 2020 Targets for Convention on Biological Diversity, the 10th Conference of Parties at CoP10 Pre-Conference, Nagoya, March 22, 2010.

"Thank you for giving a chance to comments on CBD CoP10's 2020 Target.
I am concerned that if all the parties (stakeholders) are not included in the process, we cannot achieve efficient control. The process of DIVERSITAS seems not to include reflection of stakeholders. This is my great concern.
"Target 11. By 2020, at least 15% of land, freshwater and sea areas, including the areas of particular importance for biodiversity, have been protected through representative networks of effectively managed protected areas and other means, and integrated into the wider land- and seascape.
Technical rationale: Well managed protected areas are a proven method for safeguarding both habitats and populations of species and for delivering important ecosystem services , , , . Currently, some 13% of terrestrial areas and 5% of coastal areas are protected, while very little of the open oceans [including deep-water coral reefs and seamounts] is protected. The current target of 10% protection for each ecological region has been achieved in approximately 55% of all terrestrial eco-regions, and it is proposed that this target be retained for the remaining eco-regions. Reaching the proposed target implies a modest increase in terrestrial protected areas globally, with an increased focus on representivity and management effectiveness, together with major efforts to expand marine protected areas. Particular emphasis is needed to protect critical ecosystems such as [rivers, tropical forests,] coral reefs, [coastal wetlands, peatlands, lakes,] sea-grass beds, seamounts [and mountains].
[#reason: The order of these ecosystems should be revised by priority. Freshwater is less concrete than others, it should be rivers and lakes. I think that river is most important, heavily damaged and a key system between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Some other categories are too specific in the target sentence. At least in Japan, mountain ecosystems are now threatened by overabundant deer. Mountain is fragile and involves many inheritable components]

"Indicator and baseline information: Relevant indicators to measure progress towards this target are the coverage of protected areas and the connectivity/fragmentation of ecosystems. Other possible indicators include the trends in extent of selected biomes, ecosystems, and habitats, [contribution to ecological footprint], the overlay of protected areas with ecoregions, the management effectiveness of protected areas, trends in the extent of selected biomes, ecosystems and habitats, water quality in aquatic ecosystems, and connectivity/fragmentation of ecosystems. Strong baseline information, from sources such as the World Database of Protected Areas and IUCN’s World Commission on Protected Areas, already exists for many of these indicators.
[#reason: Marine trophic index is difficult to be used for numerical goals. Japan MTI is high and did not show long-term decline. I recommend a substantial reduction of tuna catch and catch and eat lower trophic level fish, which will decrease MTI. I recommend for fisheries to decrease MTI (Eating down). Eating lower trophic level fish definitely contributes to reduction of ecological footprint.]

•By 2012, in the marine area, a global network of comprehensive, representative and effectively managed national, regional [and community-based] protected area system is established;
[#reason: The definition of MPA is broad, including both legal and autonomous MPAs. Protected areas are not the goal but measures to conserve biodiversity and sustainability.]

"Target 12. The extinction of known threatened species has been prevented....
Implementation: Numerous types of actions can be taken to implement this target. Sites already identified through the Alliance for Zero Extinction could be protected, supplemented by additional work to identify, locate and protect threatened species. Additional actions which directly focus on species include the implementation of species recovery and conservation programmes, ex-situ conservation measures as well as the re-introduction of species to habitats from which they have been extirpated. Actions taken under CITES to ensure that international trade [of threatened species should be controlled regulated for benefit of conservation and sustainability. CBD also encourages conservation and restoration plans for bioresources that are threatened by internal trade]. This target is relevant to most of the Convention’s programme of work on Protected Areas and is in line with the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation as well as with the Global Taxonomy Initiative.
[#reason: CITES has two options, trade-ban and trade control, whichever is more effective for conservation and sustainable use. Trade ban is sometimes ineffective by incentive of smuggling. Trade control sometimes encourages making sustainable management. In addition, CBD should encourage action plans to conserve species threatened by internal consumption. One example is Pacific bluefin tuna. Nobody takes care of this species but everyone talks about Atlantic. I would like to make a management plan of PBT before this becomes really threatened.]

"Target 14. By 2020, ecosystems that provide essential services, and contribute to local livelihoods, are identified and safeguarded or are being restored, and adequate and equitable access to essential ecosystem services is guaranteed for all, especially indigenous and local communities and the poor and vulnerable.
Technical rationale: All terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems provide multiple ecosystem services. Some ecosystems however are particularly important in that they provide services that are important in providing services essential for the lives and livelihoods of indigenous and local communities, including poor people. [Yield of agriculture, forestry and fisheries is a part of the total ecosystem services. We take into account of wise use of the total ecosystem service, rather than of maximum sustainable yield.] Accordingly, priority should be given to safeguarding, or restoring such ecosystems, and to ensuring that people, especially indigenous and local communities and the poor and vulnerable, have adequate and equitable access to these services.
[#reason: Even UNCLOS uses the term MSY in article 61 and elsewhere. CoP10 is a good chance to use of the term “ecosystem services” instead of MSY. I would like not to use maximum sustainable yield. The (fisheries) yield is a part of the total ecosystem services. However, in target 6, the term MSY is still used. In addition, the following target is not physically achievable. Some of heavily degradated species needs a much much longer time for recovering even without any exploitation. A typical example is blue whale. Recovery of bluefin tunas by 2015 is also physically impossible.]

A solution for global food supply is to reassign foods from developed countries to developing countries. I have an idea of ambitious target: "Ecological footprint of developed countries decreases to 1 fold of sustainable level (now EF in USA is about 4, EFs in EU and Japan is about 2)"

(End of comments)