Biodiversity: Implementation of the 1992 CBD in Malaysia†

2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 273-308
Author(s):  
Tanya Marie Lopez ◽  
Rajesvaran Nagarajan ◽  
Sobana Swarta Thevi

Of late, particularly since the inception of the Convention on Biological Diversity (“CBD”), there has been some recognition of the relevance of biological resources and the need to protect and conserve these resources for the benefit of humankind. Natural disasters which have been occurring around the world, such as the recent earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, the 2009 earthquake in Haiti, the floods in Pakistan and the mystery surrounding the fallen dead birds from the sky en masse in Arkansas have raised concerns on the state of the environment in which we live in today. The resultant long-term effects of such natural disasters is colossal to the inhabitants of mother Earth although those who are not directly affected by such disasters are rarely of the view that they have, in some way, contributed to the happenings of such disasters. In Europe and parts of America, winter temperatures plummeted towards the end of 2010 recording some of the lowest temperatures in history whilst in the southern hemisphere, cyclones and floods have plagued Australia thereby giving rise to prophecies that perhaps, the world may be coming to an end.

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 827-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Bredemeier

The focus in this review of long-term effects on forest ecosystems is on human impact. As a classification of this differentiated and complex matter, three domains of long-term effects with different scales in space and time are distinguished: 1- Exploitation and conversion history of forests in areas of extended human settlement 2- Long-range air pollution and acid deposition in industrialized regions 3- Current global loss of forests and soil degradation.There is an evident link between the first and the third point in the list. Cultivation of primary forestland — with its tremendous effects on land cover — took place in Europe many centuries ago and continued for centuries. Deforestation today is a phenomenon predominantly observed in the developing countries, yet it threatens biotic and soil resources on a global scale. Acidification of forest soils caused by long-range air pollution from anthropogenic emission sources is a regional to continental problem in industrialized parts of the world. As a result of emission reduction legislation, atmospheric acid deposition is currently on the retreat in the richer industrialized regions (e.g., Europe, U.S., Japan); however, because many other regions of the world are at present rapidly developing their polluting industries (e.g., China and India), “acid rain” will most probably remain a serious ecological problem on regional scales. It is believed to have caused considerable destabilization of forest ecosystems, adding to the strong structural and biogeochemical impacts resulting from exploitation history.Deforestation and soil degradation cause the most pressing ecological problems for the time being, at least on the global scale. In many of those regions where loss of forests and soils is now high, it may be extremely difficult or impossible to restore forest ecosystems and soil productivity. Moreover, the driving forces, which are predominantly of a demographic and socioeconomic nature, do not yet seem to be lessening in strength. It can only be hoped that a wise policy of international cooperation and shared aims can cope with this problem in the future.


Author(s):  
Khaled M. Hassan ◽  
Asala M. Wafa ◽  
Manea S. Alosaimi ◽  
Kawthar A. Bokari ◽  
Mosab A. Alsobhi ◽  
...  

Stroke is a major cerebrovascular disease causes high mortality and morbidity in people around the world. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of adult disability. The largest country in the middle East, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), has been occupying approximately four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula supporting a population of more than 28 million. Stroke is getting to be a quickly expanding issue and is the leading cause of illness and deaths in Saudi Arabia. It is clear that researches and studies regarding the incidence, prevalence and their sociodemographic properties of stroke is still incomplete due to lack of present studies being conducted in these specified areas. This article aims to discuss the aspect of stroke in Saudi Arabia beside the effects of modifiable and the non-modifiable risk factors from the literature published. 


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-44

Pediatricians throughout the world are becoming aware of the severe phychological reactions among children in man-made and natural disasters, especially in war-torn areas of the world. This paper is the second of two by a Task Force of the American Psychological Association and is focused especially on interventions. There has been relatively little attention to the needs of children, especially their psychological needs. The Task Force points out the need to have a predisaster preparation phase, a short-term intervention, and a long-term intervention phase. Most of the literature reviewed in this paper is related to natural disasters in the United States. However, it is likely that the same principles will apply to dealing with children in war-torn areas of the world. The Task Force makes a strong plea, however, for stronger evaluation of disaster-related interventions. The American Academy of Pediatrics is developing, in collaboration with Dr Karen Olness' program at Case Western Reserve University and Dr Fred Burkle's program at the University of Hawaii, a program that prepares a multidisciplinary team for crisis intervention in times of disaster, both natural and man-made. Interventions with children in disasters are clearly an emerging and very important field for all who care for children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 73-79
Author(s):  
Zakhro Jurayeva ◽  

The article is devoted to the review and analysis of the initiatives of Uzbekistan, voiced at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. The author notes that these initiatives will contribute to further strengthening the image of Uzbekistan in the world arena, as well as solving global problems. Initiatives put forward by Uzbekistan at the 76th session of the UN General Assembly are aimed at creating new platforms for discussing global problems, as well as opening new areas of cooperation in the region of Central and South Asia.Keywords:UN, international initiatives, international cooperation, environmental problems, World Environmental Charter, Convention on Biological Diversity, human rights education


2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne M. Hoare ◽  
Colin F. J. O’Donnell ◽  
Elaine F. Wright

Indicator species approaches are widely used in conservation as a shortcut to measuring attributes of species and ecosystems. A variety of indicator species concepts are in use and are applicable to a range of situations. Indicator species are increasingly being used in environmental reporting to evaluate trends in environmental attributes quantitatively. We use the most recent State of the Environment report from New Zealand as a case study to evaluate: (1) how indicator species concepts are being applied to environmental reporting and (2) the selection of individual species as indicators. At present indicator species used in environmental reporting in New Zealand reflect biases in national monitoring data towards forest-dwelling, terrestrial vertebrates that are vulnerable to predation by introduced mammals. Scientific literature generally supports links between selected taxa and the aspect of ecosystem health they are purported to indicate, but their roles as long-term indicators of environmental health have yet to be evaluated. A primary goal of State of the Environment reporting is to set a benchmark against which environmental outcomes can be monitored over time; thus it is recognized that taxa reported should represent a broader range of environmental attributes. However, selection of taxa for environmental reporting is severely constrained by limited national species monitoring data. A strategic approach to national measurement, storage and analysis of long-term monitoring data is required to support selection of representative species for environmental reporting. We support current initiatives to select taxa for future measurement and reporting in an objective, transparent manner and recommend that they encompass representation of: (1) taxonomic diversity, (2) ecosystem types, (3) key environmental pressures and (4) threat status.


Author(s):  
Ben Boer ◽  
Ian Hannam

This chapter examines the international legal regime on land degradation. It first provides a brief overview of land degradation as a complex environmental issue around the world before discussing the causes and effects of land degradation. It then analyses a variety of legal responses to land degradation, from global initiatives such as the Convention to Combat Desertification, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the IUCN Covenant on Environment and Development; regional initiatives such as the World Soil Charter 2014 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2015; and national laws and policies. The chapter also explores some of the main elements that need to be taken into consideration when designing legislation to address land degradation, including land tenure, access to land, farming systems and land use, the role of protected areas, and physical planning.


Politics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 377-393
Author(s):  
Richard Öhrvall ◽  
Sven Oskarsson

Student mock elections are conducted in schools around the world in an effort to increase political interest and efficacy among students. There is, however, a lack of research on whether mock elections in schools enhance voter turnout in real elections. In this article, we examine whether the propensity to vote in Swedish elections is higher among young people who have previously experienced a student mock election. The analysis is based on unique administrative population-wide data on turnout in the Swedish 2010 parliamentary election and the 2009 European Parliament election. Our results show that having experienced a mock election as a student does not increase the likelihood of voting in subsequent real elections. This result holds when we study both short- and long-term effects, and when we divide our sample into different parts depending on their socio-economic status and study each part separately.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9369
Author(s):  
Kelly Dombroski ◽  
Gradon Diprose ◽  
Emma Sharp ◽  
Rebekah Graham ◽  
Louise Lee ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated response have brought food security into sharp focus for many New Zealanders. The requirement to “shelter in place” for eight weeks nationwide, with only “essential services” operating, affected all parts of the New Zealand food system. The nationwide full lockdown highlighted existing inequities and created new challenges to food access, availability, affordability, distribution, transportation, and waste management. While Aotearoa New Zealand is a food producer, there remains uncertainty surrounding the future of local food systems, particularly as the long-term effects of the pandemic emerge. In this article we draw on interviews with food rescue groups, urban farms, community organisations, supermarket management, and local and central government staff to highlight the diverse, rapid, community-based responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings reveal shifts at both the local scale, where existing relationships and short supply chains have been leveraged quickly, and national scale, where funding has been mobilised towards a different food strategy. We use these findings to re-imagine where and how responsibility might be taken up differently to enhance resilience and care in diverse food systems in New Zealand.


Daedalus ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 141 (3) ◽  
pp. 108-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Tilman

Concern about the loss of Earth's biological diversity sparked two decades of research of unprecedented intensity, intellectual excitement, and societal relevance. This research shows that biodiversity is among the most important factors determining how ecosystems function. In particular, the loss of biodiversity decreases the productivity, stability, and efficiency of terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. These research findings come at a time of rapidly increasing threats to global biodiversity resulting from agricultural land clearing, climate change, and pollution caused by globally accelerating demand for food and energy. The world faces the grand, multifaceted challenge of meeting global demand for food and energy while preserving Earth's biodiversity and the long-term sustainability of both global societies and the ecosystems upon which all life depends. The solutions to this challenge will require major advances in, and syntheses among, the environmental and social sciences.


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