5 steps to save biodiversity by 2010
March 2007, New York, USA. ‘As a species, human beings have a major self-control problem’. This is how Jeffrey Sachs, Economics Professor at Columbia University, describes the tragedy of biodiversity loss. Fifteen years ago, governments created the Convention on Biological Diversity to adress this ‘common concern of humanity’. Yet, the international community remains far from its goal to significantly reduce biodiversity loss by 2010.
What can be done by 2010? In his article ‘Absent-Minded Killers’, Professor Sachs outlines an five-step program towards the 2010 biodiversity target:
- Outlaw bottom-trawling;
- Establish a rainforest conservation fund to pay small farmers to preserve the forest;
- Designate a global network of protected marine areas;
- Create a regular scientific process on species abundance and extinction;
- Negotiate a new framework to slow human-induced climate change.
All these activities would deliver large net benefits for biodiversity and human well-being – and allow decision makers to fulfil their promise to save biodiversity by 2010.
