Proposed elements for a programme of work on mountain biological diversity Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice 2002

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1 Proposed elements for a programme of work on mountain biological diversity Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice 2002 Keywords: mountain, mountain ecosystems, biodiversity, conservation, sustainable use, benefit sharing, development plans, conventions. ELEMENT 1. CONSERVATION, SUSTAINABLE USE AND BENEFIT-SHARING GOAL 1 To apply the ecosystem approach to the management of mountain ecosystems Note: elements of the extended work programme on forest biological diversity apply to montane forest ecosystems; montane ecosystems other than forests are covered in the relevant CBD thematic work programmes) Develop practical methods, guidelines, indicators and strategies to apply the ecosystem approach to conservation and sustainable management a. Clarify the conceptual basis of the ecosystem approach in relation to sustainable mountain ecosystem management. b. Develop guidance for applying the ecosystem approach in mountain ecosystems. c. Identify key structural and functional ecosystem elements to be used as indicators for decision-making and develop decision support tools on a hierarchy of scales (see Programme Element 3. for details). d. Develop and implement guidance to help the selection of suitable management practices for specific mountain ecosystems. e. Establish an operational mechanism for the participation of all stakeholders in ecosystem-level planning and implementation of management. f. Using experience from existing international initiatives, develop demonstration material for training courses and web material on the ecosystem approach. g. Promote research and pilot projects to develop understanding of the functional linkages between mountain biological diversity and

2 agriculture/forestry with the aim to developing practices that could improve the relations between mountain management and other land use methods. Promote assessment of impacts of mining, hydropower, infrastructure and other extractive industrial uses and mountain biodiversity, and develop best practice guidance for such development projects to mitigate adverse impacts on mountain biodiversity. h. Promote activities that minimize the ecosystem and habitat fragmentation on mountain environments; promote restoration practices (e.g. reinstatement and various land use practices amenable to integrated watershed restoration and management) to mitigate existing fragmentation. GOAL 2 To reduce the threats and mitigate the impacts of threatening processes on mountain biological diversity Prevent the introduction of invasive alien species that threaten ecosystems, and mitigate their negative impacts on mountain biological diversity in accordance with international law. (This may largely be applicable to montane zone ecosystems; an assessment is required in mountain environments which lie in the vicinity of densely populated highland plateaux see Programme Element 3) a. Assess the status and improve the knowledge of the impacts of invasive alien species, especially with a view of possible interaction with climate change on mountain ecosystems. Conduct research on ecosystem responses to climate change and resistance or susceptibility to invasion. As a priority, investigate the interface between intensively cultivated highland plateaux and neighbouring semi-natural ecosystems. b. Follow guidance provided by GISP on dealing with invasive non-native species. Objective 2 Mitigate the impacts of transboundary and local point source air borne, water and soil pollution on mountain biodiversity a. Increase the understanding of the impact of air borne nitrogen deposition, and of local mining and processing related-pollutants (e.g. mercury and cyanide) on mountain biodiversity; at genetic, species, ecosystem and landscape levels.

3 b. Support monitoring programmes that help evaluate the impacts of pollution on mountain ecosystems. c. Develop management plans to reduce the impacts of changing environmental conditions on mountain ecosystems. Objective 3 Mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on mountain biodiversity a. Develop a strategy for detecting signals of global environmental change in mountain environments; Promote wider monitoring of climate change impacts on mountain biological diversity. b. Define the consequences of climate change for mountain environments and for exchanges with montane and lowland systems. Investigate the impacts of climate change on soil, hydrological and biological processes (see Programme Element 3 for details). c. Investigate scenarios for ecosystem/habitat fragmentation and climate change impacts on changes in biological diversity, with particular attention to extinctions. Reinforce the promotion of mitigating/ avoiding fragmentation. d. Develop regional scenarios for expected changes (species composition, spatial distribution) attributable to climate change as part of an overall environmental audit. e. Establish a system to be able to separate climate change effects from land use impacts so that adequate response strategies and action plans can be developed at national, regional and global levels. f. Promote the maintenance (and where applicable, the restoration) of biodiversity in mountains in order to enhance their natural capacity to respond to climate change; g. Promote mountain biodiversity conservation and restoration in anticipation of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures; Objective 4 To prevent and mitigate the adverse effects of unwanted fires and use fire as a management tool a. Identify policies, practices and measures aimed at addressing the causes and reducing impacts on mountain biological diversity resulting from human-induced uncontrolled/unwanted fires, often associated with land clearing and other land use activities.

4 [- What is the significance of inter-tussock or non-grass vegetation for erosion control?] b. Promote understanding of the role of human-induced fires on mountain ecosystems and species, runoff, transport of solid organic and inorganic matter and dissolved nutrients and of the underlying causes. c. Develop and promote the use of fire management tools for maintaining and enhancing mountain biological diversity, especially with regard to optimal fire frequency for sustainable forage yield and maintenance of biodiversity. d. Promote practices of fire prevention and control to mitigate the impacts of unwanted fires on mountain biological diversity. e. Promote public education and other methods to minimise humaninduced uncontrolled/unwanted fires. Objective 5 To mitigate effects of change of management practices resulting in reduced perturbation and a decrease in biodiversity in mountain ecosystems. a. For special conservation cases, develop and promote (or restore traditional) management methods that restore or mimic natural disturbances such as fire, grazing and trampling. Objective 6 To prevent and mitigate losses due to fragmentation and conversion to other land uses a. Encourage the creation of private reserves and private conservation methods where appropriate, respecting the rights and interests of indigenous and local communities. b. Establish ecological corridors on a national and regional basis. c. Promote cost-benefit analysis of development projects that might lead to the conversion of mountain into other land uses incorporating the impacts on mountain biological diversity. GOAL 3 To protect, recover and restore mountain biological diversity Restore mountain biological diversity in degraded ecosystems, and after mining development and road construction

5 a. Promote the implementation of systems and practices for restoration in accordance with the ecosystem approach b. Promote restoration of mountain biological diversity with the aim to restore ecosystem services. c. Create and improve where appropriate international, regional and national databases and good practice case-studies on the status of degraded and restored mountain ecosystemsobjective 2 Promote mountain management practices that further the conservation of endemic and threatened species. a. Determine status and conservation needs of endemic or threatened species and the impacts of current management practices on these species. b. Develop and implement conservation strategies for endemic and threatened species for global or regional application, and practical systems of adaptive management at national level. Objective 3 Ensure adequate and effective protected mountain area networks. a. Assess the comprehensiveness, representativeness and adequacy of protected areas relative to mountain habitat types and identify gaps and weaknesses. b. Establish (in accordance with Article 8(j)) with the full participation and with respect for the rights of indigenous and local communities, and other relevant stakeholders, comprehensive, adequate, biologically and geographically representative and effective networks of protected areas. c. Establish, in a similar manner, restoration areas to complement the network of protected areas where needed. d. Revise in a similar manner and ensure the comprehensiveness, adequacy, representativeness and efficacy of existing protected area networks. e. Assess the efficacy of protected mountain areas for the conservation of biological diversity. f. Ensure that relevant protected areas are managed to maintain and enhance their biodiversity components, ecosystem services and values;

6 GOAL 4 To promote the sustainable use of biological diversity in mountains Promote sustainable use of resources in mountains to enhance the conservation of mountain biological diversity a. Support activities of indigenous and local communities involving the use of relevant traditional knowledge in biodiversity management. b. Develop, support and promote programmes and initiatives that address the sustainable use of natural mountain resources and products, including through technology transfer and capacity-building within and between regions. c. Improve mountain management and planning practices that incorporate socio-economic and cultural values to support and facilitate sustainable use. d. Set up demonstration sites that would illustrate mountain conservation and on-ground delivery of goods and services through sustainable management, which are also representative of various types of watershed characteristics. Objective 2 Prevent losses caused by unsustainable harvesting of resources. a. Promote sustainable harvest of wild animals (especially with a view of compliance with CITES where relevant) and sustainable levels of grazing by domesticated animals. b. Promote projects and activities that encourage the use and supply of alternative sources of energy to prevent vegetation stripping for fuel and consequent degradation. Objective 3 Enable indigenous and local communities to develop and implement adaptive community-management systems to conserve and sustainably use mountain biological diversity. a. (a) Strengthen the capacity of, and provide incentives for, indigenous and local communities to generate opportunities for sustainable use of mountain biodiversity and for access to markets;

7 b. (b) Strengthen the capacity of indigenous and local communities to resolve land rights and land use disputes in order to sustainably manage mountain biodiversity; c. (c) Encourage the conservation and sustainable use of mountain biological diversity by indigenous and local communities through their development of adaptive management practices, using as appropriate traditional knowledge; d. (d) Provide incentives for the maintenance of cultural diversity as an instrument to maintain mountain biological diversity; e. (e) Develop and implement education and awareness programmes on traditional uses of mountain biological diversity in accordance with Article 8(j); f. (f) Create an environment that fosters respect, and stimulates, preserves and maintains traditional knowledge related to mountain biological diversity, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities. g. (g) Promote the observance of spiritual traditions and values associated with mountains and mountain organisms. Objective 4 Develop effective and equitable information systems and strategies and promote implementation of those strategies for in situ and ex situ conservation and sustainable use of mountain genetic diversity, and support countries in their implementation and monitoring. a. Assess the diversity of mountain genetic resources, taking into consideration the identification of key functional/keystone species populations, model species and genetic variability at the desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) level. b. Select, at a national level, the most threatened mountain ecosystems based on the genetic diversity of their priority species and populations and develop an appropriate action plan in order to protect the genetic resources of the most threatened mountain ecosystems. c. Improve understanding of patterns of genetic diversity and its conservation in situ, in relation to management, landscape-scale pattern and climate variations. d. Provide guidance for countries to assess the state of their mountain genetic resources, and to develop and evaluate strategies for their conservation, both in situ and ex situ. e. Develop national legislative, administrative policy measures on access and benefit-sharing on mountain genetic resources, taking into account the provisions under Articles 8(j), 10(c), 15, 16 and 19 of the Convention on Biological Diversity and in conformity with future decisions of the Conference of the Parties, as appropriate.

8 f. Monitor developments in new biotechnologies and ensure their applications are compatible with the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity with respect to mountain biological diversity, and develop and enforce regulations for controlling the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) when appropriate. g. Develop a holistic framework for the conservation and management of mountain genetic resources at national, subregional and global levels. h. Implement activities to ensure adequate and representative in situ conservation of the genetic diversity of endangered, overexploited and narrow endemic mountain species and complement the in situ conservation with adequate ex situ conservation of the genetic diversity of endangered, overexploited and narrow endemic species and species of economic potential. GOAL 5 Access and benefit-sharing of mountain genetic resources Promote the fair and equitable sharing of benefits resulting from the utilization of mountain genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge a. Establish mechanisms to facilitate the sharing of benefits at local, national, regional and global levels. b. Strengthen capacity of indigenous and local communities to negotiate benefit-sharing arrangements. c. Promote dissemination of information about benefit-sharing experiences through the clearing-house mechanism and appropriate means at the local level. PROGRAMME ELEMENT 2: INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC ENABLING ENVIRONMENT GOAL 1 Enhance the institutional enabling environment. Improve the understanding of the various causes of mountain biological diversity losses

9 a. Each Party to carry out, in a transparent and participatory way, thorough analysis of local, regional, national and global direct and underlying causes of losses of mountain biological diversity. A distinction should be made between broad socio-economic causes such as demographic growth and more specific causes such as institutional weaknesses and market or policy failures. b. Each Party based on the above analysis to make recommendations and implement them. Objective 2 Parties, Governments and organizations to integrate biological diversity conservation and sustainable use of mountains into specific mountain area or sectoral policies and programmes. : a. Parties to formulate appropriate policies and adopt priority targets for mountain biological diversity to be integrated into national programmes, national sustainable development strategies, poverty reduction strategy papers, other related programmes and national biological diversity strategies and action plans. Ensure that there is coherence and direct interaction between the different programmes. b. Seek ways of streamlining reporting between the different related processes, in order to improve the understanding of change and improve consistency in reporting on sustainable management in mountains. c. Develop a set of indicators that might be used in assessing progress in implementing the national biodiversity strategies and action plans and relevant work programmes; d. Donor bodies and other financial institutions to incorporate mountain biological diversity and sustainable use principles and targets into mountain and related programmes, including watershed management, land-use planning, energy, transport, infrastructure development, education and agriculture, mineral exploitation, and tourism. e. Seek to harmonize policies at regional and subregional levels in the area of mountain biological diversity. f. Develop strategies for effective enforcement of sustainable mountain management and protected area regulations, including adequate resourcing and involvement of indigenous and local communities. g. Parties and donor bodies to develop and implement, strategies, in particular national financing strategies in the framework of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and national mountain programmes, and provide adequate financial, human and technical resources. h. Increase emphasis on capacity-building, research and training, public education and awareness, access to and transfer of information and

10 i. technology, technical and scientific co-operation, with focus on capacities required to address mountain biodiversity-related issues. Objective 3 Parties and Governments to develop good governance practices, consider mountain and mountain-related laws, tenure and planning systems, to provide a sound basis for conservation and sustainable use of mountain biological diversity. a. Seek to resolve land tenure and resource rights and responsibility, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders including for indigenous and local communities, in order to promote the conservation and sustainable use of mountain biodiversity. b. Encourage Parties and countries to ensure that mountain and mountainrelated laws adequately and equitably incorporate the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the decisions of the Conference of the Parties. c. Implement effective measures to protect traditional knowledge and values in mountain laws and planning tools. d. Develop legislation, administrative or policy measures on access and benefit-sharing for mountain genetic resources, taking into account the draft Bonn Guidelines on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits Arising out of their Utilization. e. Parties, Governments and relevant stakeholders to develop mechanisms and processes to work toward good governance to promote conservation and sustainable use of mountain biological diversity. f. Develop and apply environmental and socio-economic impact assessment methods as appropriate prior to development decisions. GOAL 2 Address socio-economic failures and distortions that lead to decisions that result in loss of mountain biological diversity. Mitigate the economic failures and distortions that lead to decisions that result in loss of mountain biological diversity. a. Develop mechanisms to ensure that monetary and non-monetary costs and benefits of mountain biodiversity management are equitably shared between stakeholders at all levels

11 b. Develop, test and disseminate methods for valuing mountain biological diversity and other mountain ecosystem goods and services and for incorporating these values into mountain planning and management, including through stakeholder analysis and mechanisms for transferring costs and benefits. c. Incorporate mountain biological diversity and other mountain values into national accounting systems and seek to estimate such figures for subsistence economies. d. Elaborate and implement economic incentives promoting mountain biological diversity conservation and sustainable use. e. Eliminate or reform incentives, which result in favouring unsustainable use or loss of mountain biological diversity. f. Provide market and other incentives for the use of sustainable practices, develop alternative sustainable income generation programmes and facilitate self-sufficiency programmes of indigenous and local communities. g. Develop and disseminate ecological footprint or carrying capacity analyses. h. Seek to promote national laws and policies and international trade regulations are compatible with conservation and sustainable use of mountain biological diversity. i. Increase knowledge on monetary and non-monetary cost-benefit accounting for mountain biodiversity evaluation. GOAL 3 Increase public education, participation, and awareness. Increase public support and understanding of the value of mountain biological diversity and its goods and services at all levels. a. Increase broad-based awareness of the value of mountain biological diversity through international, national and local public awareness campaigns. b. Promote consumer awareness about sustainably produced mountain products. c. Increase awareness amongst all stakeholders of the potential contribution of traditional knowledge to the conservation and sustainable use of mountain biological diversity. d. Develop awareness of the contribution of mountain ecosystem services to hazard aversion and prevention and its relationship to biological diversity.

12 e. Increase awareness of the value of mountain biological diversity amongst public authorities and decision makers through specific information and training actions. f. Implement effective measures to recognise, respect, protect and maintain traditional knowledge and values in mountain-related laws and mountain planning tools, in accordance with Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity. g. Develop awareness of the value of mountain biological diversity among developers. PROGRAMME ELEMENT 3: KNOWLEDGE, ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING GOAL 1 Develop a general classification of mountain and montane ecosystems for the assessment of status and trends of mountain biological diversity at a range of scales. Adopt a general classification of mountain environments and ecosystems using criteria based on geographical position (latitude) and topographical characteristics (altitude and slope) - which reflect bio-climatic conditions. a. Based on existing knowledge base, adopt a globally applicable framework for classifying mountain environments and ecosystems to rectify ambiguities associated with the use of the term mountain. b. Building on existing data and information, develop a GIS-based multipurpose database that can be used for classifying mountain environments. Objective 2 Adopt a definition of montane and mountain environments and adopt a classification system (to accommodate scales ranging from local to global) of their ecosystems. (A classification is also recommended for montane ecosystems, i.e. montane forests and other ecosystems in the montane zone) a. Based on reviewing existing literature, adopt a consistent and simple classification of mountain ecosystem types. Base classification on structurally homogeneous units which are, as far as possible, amenable to remote sensing.

13 b. Prescribe mountain resource inventory at regional and global scales at regular intervals, preferably at least every ten years in mountain ecosystems (and more frequently in montane ecosystems). Objective 3 Review, revise and bring in line existing or, where they do not exist, develop national montane and mountain ecosystem classification systems (in a compatible manner with that described in Objective 2) and establish a cross-compatible GIS-linked database to facilitate reporting at various levels (e.g. management unit, country, eco-region, and global). a. Review existing national mountain (and montane) ecosystem classification systems. b. Review available inventory data, databases and other ancillary information including maps; evaluate quality of information. c. Develop a universal protocol for inventorying and reporting: define data management to ensure cross-compatibility with GIS (see also Goal 3 below). d. Realign or develop national mountain (and montane) ecosystem classification systems so that they could be used in a universal manner for reporting on biological diversity. e. Carry out an assessment and identify gaps in information. f. Using the results of Goal 1, Objective 3 e and existing information on centres of high biodiversity (hotspots), management, state and protection status, establish an order of priority and carry out inventories. GOAL 2 Improve knowledge on and methods for the assessment of the status and trends of mountain biological diversity, based on available information. Co-ordinate efforts in the development and use of criteria and indicators to monitor change at regional, national and global scales in montane and mountain biodiversity and ecosystem management. a. Advance the development and implementation of international, regional and national criteria and indicators in relation to terrestrial (above ground and soil assemblages) and freshwater ecosystems (mountain water courses and lakes), and whole watersheds. b. Develop and select international, regional and national criteria and where appropriate quantifiable, indicators for mountain biological

14 diversity, taking into account, as appropriate, existing work and processes on criteria and indicators on sustainable mountain management, as well as the knowledge held by indigenous and local communities. Such criteria and indicators should be used for assessment reporting at least 10-year intervals. GOAL 3 Improve data and information management and means of information flow to facilitate the availability of an up-to-date assessment of (and monitoring of change in) global montane and mountain biological diversity. Complementing Objective 3 of Goal 1, provide equal minimum standard technological capacity at the national level for the inventorying and monitoring of montane mountain biological diversity to provide equal quality input for a global scale synthetic database. a. Develop, in full collaboration with all reporting national parties, a data collecting and reporting protocol (Objective 3, goal 1) for inventorying and monitoring. b. Establish the technical and technological requirements for a global database and reporting system. c. Establish and operate the system; where necessary assist in technology transfer and provide technical support for running the system. GOAL 4 Improve knowledge on the role of montane and mountain biodiversity in ecosystem functioning. Conduct targeted research programmes on the role of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in montane and mountain ecosystems. a. Develop and conduct research to better understand the relationship between montane and mountain biological diversity and ecosystem functioning. Establish the relationship between diversity and ecosystem characteristics and function along altitude gradients. b. Quantify ecosystem services (e.g. productivity, erosion control) vs. diversity in montane and mountain ecosystems. c. Develop and carry out research to verify the insurance hypothesis and identify critical thresholds of biological diversity loss and change.

15 d. Investigate the role of endemism and the role of rare and threatened species and assemblages. e. In the light of scientific research results on biodiversity and ecosystem function, develop the principles of ecosystem restoration and techniques with regard to the specificities of the environment in the montane and mountain zones. f. Develop and support research on impact of current management practices for mountain biodiversity within mountains and on adjacent land. GOAL 5 Develop an integrated understanding of the impacts of land use and climate on the montane and mountain environment, and in particular their biological diversity, at the watershed scale. Develop a framework for analysing and predicting hydrological and ecological characteristics and their linkages with land use and climate at various spatial and temporal scales for understanding changes in biodiversity. a. Develop linked ecological, hydrological and land use models for the simulation of land cover and land surface processes in complex mountain landscapes and river basins under current and changing atmospheric and socio-economic conditions. b. Develop regional scale atmospheric models for mountain regions to provide high-resolution distribution patterns of precipitation for the study of land surface processes. c. Integrated analysis of environmental change in mountain regions by means of fully coupled land surface-atmosphere models, where feasible and appropriate, or by qualitative assessments. d. Carry out experiments at the regional scale for the development, application and validation of the above models.