BIOLAC

"Toward Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Use and Benefit-Sharing in Latin America and the Caribbean."

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'A key component of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is continued global biodiversity loss and the implications of this for human well being. Biodiversity is a complex resource that demands a multi-disciplinary ecological and economic approach. Solutions to biodiversity loss will come both from better biological models and from a better understanding of the socio-economic factors that benefit from biodiversity, negatively impact its losses and can be directed to sustainable use by appropriate public policies. The continued biodiversity loss of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region is seen as one of the world’s principal environmental problems, with a regional approach to biodiversity yet to be adopted. The role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem goods and services to the stakeholders of the LAC, the integration of biodiversity into the region’s peculiar economic structures, the development of economic incentives and payment mechanisms towards regional biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and benefit-sharing, and the production of a generic template for integrated ecological-economic stakeholder-based biodiversity research in the region are the primary objectives of this proposal. These objectives will be achieved through the execution of 5 Modules and 12 associated Work Packages over a 24 month period. Module 1 develops the conceptual framework for the ecological-economic BIOLAC model. Module 2 applies this framework to a selected regional case study. Module 3 calculates the welfare losses at stakeholder levels of biodiversity loss. Module 4 develops payment mechanisms for ecosystem services at a regional level. Module 5 develops a generic framework for the application of the BIOLAC model to other case studies of the region. Each Work Package is sanctioned by deliverables that mark the project’s progress. Dissemination of the project’s methods and results to regional stakeholders and decision-makers is the critical, final deliverable.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Biodiversity loss is one of the primary concerns of ecologists globally. A study of a region in Trinidad has revealed both conflicts and common interests in ecosystem preservation.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has been identified as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. Ironically, within the confines of LAC, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) represent areas where biological diversity is most at risk. Human interests invariably lie at the root cause of loss of our environmental resources.

The 'Toward biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and benefit-sharing in Latin America and the Caribbean' (Biolac) project aimed to study the principal reasons for the dramatic decline in diversity, with particular focus on SIDS.

Existing global diversity indicators were downsized for application to SIDS and the case study selected was the northeastern coast of Trinidad, a major nesting area of the leatherback turtle. One of the villages, Grande Riviere, is at the centre of a fledgling eco-tourist area in Trinidad and Biolac researchers were able to marry up the role of biodiversity with the eco-tourism industry.

Indicators were linked to the ecosystem services they support and ultimately the livelihoods that are dependent on the recreational, cultural and aesthetic aspects of these services. Using panel data techniques on multi-dimensional information, the role of biodiversity in the local economy including the conflicting interests between the two was investigated.

Biolac researchers used the millennium ecosystem assessment devised by over 1,000 of the world's leading scientists to determine the relationship between marine turtles, human welfare and ecosystem services. The link between the local community, local visitors and those that used the airport in relation to nature was also a vital feature of the study.

With reference to specific challenges met in the Biolac study, future models on the impact of biodiversity loss can be modified. Biolac also produced a toolkit outlining a roadmap for research initiatives in other cases studies in the LAC region.