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The Trialogue
on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Desertification |
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The Climate Change Convention seeks to stabilize atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases "at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [human-induced] interference with the climate system". There are three requirements: (1) this "ultimate objective" should be achieved early enough to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change; (2) food production should not be threatened; and (3) efforts to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and climate change should be consistent with sustainable economic development. |
The Biodiversity Convention's objectives are "the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources". The Convention is thus the first global, comprehensive agreement to address all aspects of biological diversity: genetic resources, species, and ecosystems. It recognises -- for the first time -- that the conservation of biological diversity is "a common concern of humankind" and an integral part of the development process. |
The Desertification Convention promotes a fresh new approach to managing dryland ecosystems and arid regions. Desertification is caused by climate variability and human activities. It undermines the land's productivity and contributes to poverty. The Convention will be implemented through action programmes. At the national level, they will address the underlying causes of desertification and drought and identify measures to prevent and reverse it. Action programmes have been detailed for Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Northern Mediterranean. |