1. Biodiversity as a natural capital: The findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA)
Dr. V.B. Mathur
Dean, Faculty of Wildlife Sciences
Wildlife Institute of India
Pre-meeting training course IAIA ’08
Perth, Australia

2. What is Biodiversity?
"A definition of biodiversity that is altogether simple, comprehensive, and fully operational ... is unlikely to be found."
…Noss, 1990

3. What is Biodiversity?
"Biological diversity is the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur"
…U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment, "Technologies to Maintain Biological Diversity," 1987

4. What is Biodiversity?
"Natural diversity is synonymous with biological diversity... To the scientist, natural diversity has a variety of meanings. These include: 1) the number of different native species and individuals in a habitat or geographical area; 2) the variety of different habitats within an area; 3) the variety of interactions that occur between different species in a habitat; and 4) the range of genetic variation among individuals within a species."
… Jones and Stokes Associates' "Sliding Toward Extinction: The State of California's Natural Heritage," 1987

5. What is Biodiversity?
"Biological diversity, simply stated, is the diversity of life... biological diversity means the full range of variety and variability within and among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur, and encompasses ecosystem or community diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity."
…D.B. Jensen, M. Torn, and J. Harte, "In Our Own Hands: A Strategy for Conserving Biological Diversity in California," 1990

6. Levels of Biodiversity
Genetic
Species
Communities and Ecosystem
Source: PUAF 741

7. Species Richness of Major Groups
Inner ring indicates proportion that has been described; total = 1.75 million (increasing by 100,000/y)
Outer ring indicates best estimate of total species (14 million)
Source: PUAF 741

8. What drives environmental change?
This question was addressed by 1360 scientists from 95 countries in the form of Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) project for 5 years ( ).

9. Millennium Assessment (Pages end to end)
Feet
Millennium Assessment (Pages end to end)
2000
Eiffel Tower
1000

10. What drives environmental change?
Indirect Drivers
Demography
Economy (Globalization, Trade, Markets…….)
Socio-Political (Governance and Institutional Framework)
Science and Technology applications
Cultural and Religious factors
Direct Drivers
Landuse changes
Species introduction or removal
External inputs (Irrigation, Fertilizer etc)
Natural factors (Earthquake, Volcanoes etc)

11. World Population (billions)
6.5 billion in 2005
4 billion in 1975
2 billion in 1920
1 billion in 1800
Source: UN Population Division 2004; Lee, 2003; Population Reference Bureau

12. World GDP (trillion US $)
$52 trillion in 2003
$10 trillion in 1967
$1 trillion in 1900
Source: DeLong 1998

13. Percent of habitat (biome) remaining
Habitat Loss
Mediterranean Forests
Temperate Grasslands & Woodlands
Temperate Broadleaf Forest
Tropical Dry Forest
Tropical Grasslands
Tropical Coniferous Forest
Tropical Moist Forest
Percent of habitat (biome) remaining
Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

14. Scale of Change
20% of the world’s coral reefs were lost and more than 20% degraded.
35% of mangrove area has been lost in the last several decades.
Amount of water in reservoirs quadrupled since 1960.

15. Teragrams of Nitrogen per Year
Natural Sources
Fossil Fuels
Agroecosystems
Fertilizer
Total Human Additions
Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

16. CO2 Concentration (ppm)
Source: Keeling and Whorf, 2005.

17. Loss of Species Diversity
Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

18. Crops Status
Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

19. Global Surface Temperature Change (oc) from 1990
A: Observations, Northern Hemisphere, Proxy data
B: Global Instrumental Observations
C: IPCC 2001 Scenario Projections (SRES)
A B C
1.5 – 5.7 oC
Source: IPCC 2001

20. Global Balance Sheet
Enhanced
Degraded
Mixed
Crops
Livestock
Aquaculture
Carbon sequestration
Capture fisheries
Wild foods
Wood fuel
Genetic resources
Biochemicals
Fresh Water
Air quality regulation
Regional & local climate regulation
Erosion regulation
Water purification
Pest regulation
Pollination
Natural Hazard regulation
Spiritual & religious
Aesthetic values
Timber
Fiber
Water regulation
Disease regulation
Recreation & ecotourism
Bottom Line: 60% of Ecosystem Services are Degraded

21. State of World’s Conservation
Trends in Drivers
Source: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

22. I’VE ASKED FOR A SECOND OPINION
1360 SCIENTISTS FROM 95 COUNTRIES SAY THE WORLD IS ON THE BRINK OF DISASTER
I’VE ASKED FOR A SECOND OPINION
Source: Melbourne, Australia, March 30, 2005

23. What have we achieved globally in conservation?
Put together a global framework- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, 1992).
Ratified by 192 countries.
CBD tenets:
Conserve biodiversity
Use sustainably
Share equitably
An impressive network of Protected Areas (National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Nature Reserves etc).

24. What have we failed to do globally in conservation?
Get the CBD to function effectively.
Value conservation benefits adequately.
Move the pro-people agenda.
Garner adequate political support for mainstreaming conservation.

25. What is changing…? Global pressures and demands.
People’s pressures on resources.
Priority for conservation (Development v/s Conservation).
If 90’s was the decade for conservation; 2000s indicates missed opportunities.

26. The Way Forward…… Mainstreaming conservation in development planning.
More policy and legal reforms to address resource sharing and equity issues.
Enhance professionalism of the range of stakeholders though capacity building.

27. thank you…