Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Forestry Report
Recently the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has released the report ‘Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Forestry’.
Mainstreaming biodiversity is the process of incorporating the ideas of biodiversity into the policies, strategies and actions of major public and private sector institutions.
Its main objective is to promote the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.
Barriers and Threats to Mainstreaming Biodiversity:
- Deforestation: Deforestation continues at an alarming rate of 10 million hectares per year. This forest loss is especially seen in low-income tropical countries.
- Illegal activities in forests – About 15-30 percent of the total global timber harvesting is illegal. Conservation of forests located outside protected areas is not being given special attention.
- Inadequate Capacity: Developing countries are facing problems in implementing forest and biodiversity regulations. Indigenous peoples and local communities have low participation in conservation activities.
Key Recommendations –
- The forest rights of indigenous peoples and local communities should be recognized.
- In addition, equitable distribution of benefits along with them should also be encouraged.
- The conversion of natural forests to monospecific afforestation should be prevented.
- To control over-exploitation of plants and wildlife, sustainable management of the species used must be ensured.
- A multi-sectoral approach should be adopted by mainstreaming biodiversity in other land-use areas.
- To promote biodiversity benefits, economic incentives such as compensation for low production should be provided.
- Market-based alternatives can be resorted to to take advantage of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments. Under this, adopting public-private partnership is a good option.
Source – The Hindu
