The importance of biodiversity monitoring

The importance of biodiversity monitoring Sebastian Winkler IUCN Save Biodiversity! Regional Office for Europe 18 June 2009, London

The 2010 Biodiversity Target: There are limits is hard to measure fails to set priorities is negatively phrased No baseline Limited and politically defined monitoring system Need to know what you want to monitor

Outline: Need to simplify 1. The 2010 Monitoring Challenge Conservation Commons Red List Index 2. Monitoring 2010 Global Commitments. Tematea: Issues based approach to commitments Countdown 2010 Readiness Assessment 3..to Local Actions Singapore Biodiversity City Index

10,000 to 20,000 genes per specie 2 to 100 millions species Thousands of climates changing Hundreds of land characteristics (e.g. altitude, soil) Millions of Indigenous practices Billions of hectares Thousands of ecoregions 6.4 billion people Thousands of threats to natural resources 100,000 protected areas Thousands of organizations

Invasive Threats Satellite Image Measures Practices Land Use Climate Species Information System People Environmental Law Science Journals

Top 10 World Largest Databases 2003 Company/Organization Type Size (GB) France Telecom DSS 29,232 AT&T DSS 26,269 SBC DSS 24,805 Land Registry OLTP 18,301 Anonymous DSS 16,191 Amazon.com DSS 13,001 Kmart DSS 12,592 Claria Corporation DSS 12,100 Health Insurance Review Agency DSS 11,942 TNC ecoregional prototype (15 ecoregions) DSS 3,000 Projection for 2015 Goal (2,000 ecoregions) DSS 600,000 Source: Winter Corporation Database Oracle Daytona Teradata DB2 for z/os DB2 for Unix Oracle Teradata Oracle Sybase IQ Oracle

Designed to improve the management of data, information, and knowledge related to conservation. Support and strengthen conservation decision making and our ability to scientifically comprehend the complex integrity of nature through improved logical synthesis of these resources and technical inter-operability between systems and databases.

IDEA improve open access to, and unrestricted use of, data, information, and knowledge related to conservation of biodiversity APPROACH improve the management of data, information, and knowledge related to conservation PALNET Ecolex SIS-Redlist IABIN PP10 GBIF CHM ConserveOnline Your Own Data, Information and Knowledge

Outline: Need to simplify 1. The 2010 Monitoring Challenge Conservation Commons Red List Index 2. Monitoring 2010 Global Commitments. Tematea: Issues based approach to commitments Countdown 2010 Readiness Assessment 3..to Local Actions Singapore Biodiversity City Index

Red List Programme History of evolution 1963 1969 1964

IUCN Red List Categories & Criteria A. Declining population Extinct (EX) Extinct in the Wild (EW) B. Small distribution and decline or fluctuation (Adequate data) (Threatened) Critically Endangered (CR) Endangered (EN) Vulnerable (VU) C. Small population size and decline D. Very small or restricted E. Quantitative analysis (Evaluated) Not Evaluated (NE) Data Deficient (DD) Near Threatened (NT) Least Concern (LC)

Importance of monitoring biodiversity at the species level Species are only one of the components of biodiversity but: are reasonably well defined units a lot of information is already available variety of ways to measure species diversity targeted in conservation-related legislation great appeal for, and essential services to, millions of people Trends in species status can be used in many instances as a proxy to measure ecosystem integrity, health and services, management effectiveness, and sustainable use

Red List Programme Progress since 1998 Total records held in Red List database 45,000 Total records 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 1 2 3 4 5 6 Year Information on threatened and non-threatened species NOT just the increasing number of assessments, but assessments with the minimum supporting documentation: Population trends Authority Files habitats, threats, conservation actions, utilization Extent of occurrence distribution maps

Which species are in trouble?! " #$% "&#$'''( "&#$'% " #$$ " #$)

How is the state of biodiversity changing? 100 Red List Indices Birds Amphibians 95 Better 90 85 Worse 1980 1988 1994 2000 2004 *+,#*!- (. +#&!/ %(.

Where is the risk of extinction greatest? Areas of threatened species richness 0''( 1 2( 3'%

Outline: Need to simplify 1. The 2010 Monitoring Challenge Conservation Commons 2. Monitoring 2010 Global Commitments. Tematea: Issues based approach to commitments Countdown 2010 Readiness Assessment 3..to Local Actions Singapore Biodiversity City Index

The 2010 BAP Challenge Many environmental and sectoral agreements/declarations, often with similar provisions (articles, decisions, resolutions) Need to be aware of all these provisions and improve coordinated/coherent approach National experts face problems communicating across conventions and with sectors Much emphasis on need for coordination at different fora involving different sectors SPS, IPPC, Regional Treaties

Project on Issue-Based Modules Characteristics of the Modules Issue-Based Analysis of existing decisions of global and regional agreements on the specific, cross cutting issues Analysis of relationship between decisions of different agreements to demonstrate overlaps, conflict or gaps Present the action-oriented part of the decision in simplified language within a logical framework Voluntary and evolutionary tool Web based and available on www.tematea.org

[ ]

Project on Issue-Based Modules Facilitate coherent implementation of regional and global biodiversity commitments, through Issue-Based Modules as reference tools that structure negotiated text in a logical framework and lower the threshold for experts to understand how commitments from other conventions relate to their own work Capacity Building based on the modules to promote national cooperation and communication across conventions and sectors. The modules help experts understand how their work fits within the overall puzzle and promote coherence

National Capacity Building Workshops So far: Norway, Seychelles, Cuba, Peru, Georgia Inventory of existing implementation of MEA obligations on 1 of the 6 topics Evaluate Strengths and Weaknesses Formulate recommendations to improve national implementation Example: Seychelles evaluated implementation of biodiversity and climate change provisions. Will use multiconvention approach based on modules to develop CCD NAP.

Outline: Need to simplify 1. The 2010 Monitoring Challenge Conservation Commons 2. Monitoring 2010 Global Commitments. Tematea: Issues based approach to commitments Countdown 2010 Readiness Assessment 3..to Local Actions Singapore Biodiversity City Index

2010 biodiversity indicators framework and the CBI COP-7, through decision VII/30, agreed on a provisional list of global headline indicators on progress towards the 2010 target Focal Areas Goals 21 Targets STATUS AND TRENDS FOR COMPONENTS OF BIODIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE USE ADDRESS THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY ECOSYSTEM SERVICES TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE ACCESS & BENEFIT-SHARING RESOURCES FOR CBD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Indicators

SEBI 2010: 16 EU Headlines ECOSYSTEM INTEGRITY, GOODS AND SERVICES Marine trophic index Connectivity/fragmentation of ecosystems Water quality in aquatic ecosystems SUSTAINABLE USE Area of ecosystems under sustainable management Forest Agriculture Fishery Aquaculture Ecological footprint STATUS AND TRENDS OF COMPONENTS OF BIODIVERSITY Trends in extent of selected biomes, ecosystems, habitats Coverage of protected areas Trends in abundance and distribution of selected species Change in status of threatened and/or protected species Trends in genetic diversity of domesticated animals, cultivated plants, fish species of major socioeconomic importance 452.% 6) 472%(8 47( THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY Nitrogen deposition Numbers and costs of invasive alien species (Trends in invasive alien species) Impact of climate change

and 26 specific indicators 1. Abundance and distribution of selected species 2. Red List Index for European species 3. Species of European interest 4. Ecosystem coverage 5. Habitats of European interest 6. Livestock genetic diversity 7. Nationally designated protected areas 8. Sites designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives 9. Critical load exceedance for nitrogen 10. Invasive alien species in Europe 11. Occurrence of temperature-sensitive species 12. Marine Trophic Index of European seas 13. Fragmentation of natural and semi-natural areas 14. Fragmentation of river systems 15. Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters 16. Freshwater quality 17. Forest: Growing stock, increment and fellings 18. Forest: Deadwood 19. Agriculture: Nitrogen balance 20. Agriculture: Area under management practices potentially supporting biodiversity 21. Fisheries: European commercial fish stocks 22. Aquaculture: Effluent water quality from finfish farms 23. Ecological Footprint of European countries 24. Patent applications based on genetic resources 25. Financing biodiversity management 26. Public awareness

Policy Proficiencies Presence E.g Is there a strategy to meet the 2010 target? Implementation E.g. Have actions or the strategy been implemented already? Awareness E.g. Are the relevant sectors of the administration informed? Integration Has the 2010 target been integrated into policy actions? Effectiveness E.g. Has there been a measurable change in the level of activity?

Countdown 2010: Online Survey on the 2010 Biodiversity Target How likely will your country reach the 2010 biodiversity target? How is your country s commitment to the 2010 biodiversity target? How s your country doing with regards to the following issues? 1. Species protection 2. Habitat conservation 3. Agriculture and biodiversity 4. Fisheries 5. Forestry 6. Sectoral integration How much information is available in your country on biodiversity state and trends? If you could do just one thing towards the 2010 biodiversity target, what would it be? Provide reliable knowledge on biodiversity Reach out to new constituencies, e.g. the private sector or local governments Increase financing for nature conservation Integrate biodiversity policy into other sectoral policies Make the goal legally binding Focus on communication and awareness raising Other (please specify)

How s your country doing on the 2010 biodiversity target? 53 % believe that their country s commitment to the 2010 biodiversity target is either poor or negligible 48 % believe that their country will reach the 2010 biodiversity target to some degree, to a large degree or completely 33 % believe that a lot of information is available on biodiversity state and trends Issues + Species protection Habitat conservation Forestry - Agriculture and biodiversity Fisheries Sectoral integration

If you could do just one thing towards the 2010 biodiversity target, what would it be? Increase financing for nature conservation Communication and awareness raising Make the goal legally binding Integrate biodiversity policy into other sectoral policies Provide reliable knowledge on biodiversity Reach out to new constituencies, e.g. the private sector or local governments

How much information is available in your country on biodiversity state and trends? all we need hardly any a lot of information little information some information

Third Readiness assessment: assessing national policy actions Objectives: Assessing the gaps, in the current policies Identifying the constraints in implementing the biodiversityfriendly policies Sharing the analysis with the countries (CBD COP10) Expected outcomes: State of the progress being made Best practices in countries Constraints that countries are facing Linkages: 2010 BAP Inputs to the 4 th NR to CBD Global Biodiversity Outlook 3

Outline: Need to simplify 1. The 2010 Monitoring Challenge Conservation Commons 2. Monitoring 2010 Global Commitments. Tematea: Issues based approach to commitments Countdown 2010 Readiness Assessment 3..to Local Actions Singapore Biodiversity City Index

WHY IS THERE A NEED TO DEVELOP A BIODIVERSITY INDEX FOR CITIES? 1950: 30% people living in cities 2007: 50% people living in cities Separation of people from nature Cities cover 3% of global surface, but consume 95% of global resources The biodiversity component forms a small part of most of the environmental indices. These indices only apply to countries, not cities.

HOW WAS THE CITY BIODIVERSITY INDEX DEVELOPED? Total: 26 INDICATORS HOW?

We will not save biodiversity with a data restricting license. We will only save it by putting biodiversity data to use Michael Tiemann, VP Open Source Affairs, RedHat Measure what is measurable, and make measurable what is not so. Galileo Galilei If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants Sir Isaac Newton