Widening perspectives on biodiversity

Abstract

This volume comprises of 52 papers, presented at a meeting of the Global Biodiversity Forum (GBF), Gland, October 1993. The first section outlines the origins, objectives, and characteristics of both the GBF and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Section two addresses implementation of the Convention, through regional collaboration, and reviews some of the regional cooperation which is already underway. Section three consists of 13 country case studies providing an insight into activities to incorporate the Convention objectives into national policy. Next, the roles of biologists, farmers, women, indigenous peoples, and communities in the process of implementation are reviewed. The fifth section looks at a number of topics related to the conservation and utilisation of genetic resources: in situ and ex situ conservation, genebanks, and intellectual property rights and GATT. Section six evaluates the use of environmental impact assessment methods to further the cause of biodiversity conservation. The last section outlines the role of NGOs. Twenty-one chapters are separately abstracted in International Development Abstracts. -S.R.Harris