Convention on Biological Diversity - COP 10
Nagoya, Japan - 18-29 October, 2010
Missed biodiversity targets
will be a major focus of
the 10th Convention of
the Parties (COP10) to the
Convention on Biological
Diversity, where the Parties
must agree on a new
way forward to achieve
reductions in biodiversity
loss. IFAW supports the
adoption of bold, visionary
targets for the conservation
and restoration of
biodiversity, with the
overall objective of halting
the loss of biodiversity by
2020.
Stemming the tide of species extinction and habitat loss is one of
the greatest challenges facing the global community today. While
many important multi-lateral environmental agreements exist, the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the only comprehensive
global agreement dedicated to the issues surrounding loss of
biodiversity.
The Convention’s work programs—ranging from mitigating the
impacts of climate change on ecosystems to combating deforestation
and protecting marine biodiversity—are meant to set the agenda for
conservation activities aimed at halting biodiversity loss.
The Convention relates directly to the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs), which sought, in MDG 7B, to “reduce biodiversity loss,
achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss.” In May
2010, the third edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook, released by
the CBD Secretariat, found that this MDG target has not been met,
and set forth several indicators of continued decline in biodiversity,
including:
• Declining species are moving ever closer to extinction, not recovery.
Amphibians are most at risk, but many other species are threatened as
well, from tigers and elephants to marine mammals and primates.
• Biodiversity loss is not limited to species considered “under
threat.” The abundance of all vertebrate species fell by nearly a third
between 1970 and 2006, and continues to fall globally.
• Natural habitats around the world continue to decline in extent and
integrity. Extensive fragmentation and degradation of forests, rivers
and other ecosystems have resulted in terrible biodiversity losses.
• The principal pressures directly driving biodiversity loss – habitat
change, over-exploitation, pollution, invasive alien species and climate
change – are either constant or increasing in intensity.
African elephants
populations declined
from almost 1.3 million
animals in 1980 to about
480,000 today.
IFAW RECOMMENDS CBD-COP 10
Marine and Coastal Biodiversity –
Climate Change (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/3)
As highlighted in IFAW’s report On
Thin Ice, mitigating the devastating
effects of climate change will be one
of the most important environmental
challenges faced by our generation, and
indeed future generations. Of particular
importance to IFAW is combating the
negative long-term impacts of climate
change on animals including the polar
bear, predicted to suffer a global
population decline of 30% by mid-
century due to climactic warming and its
consequent negative effects.
The Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and Technological Advice
(SBSTTA) has stressed to Parties, in their
draft decision, the importance of marine
and coastal biodiversity to the mitigation
of and adaptation to climate change.
IFAW supports the recommendation
“to convene an expert workshop
on oceans biodiversity and climate
change with a view of assessing
the potential impacts of climate
change on ocean biodiversity and
propose options for mitigating such
impacts.”
Marine and Coastal Biodiversity -
Ocean Noise (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/3)
IFAW will be advocating for a greater
focus on ocean noise at the upcoming
COP. As highlighted in IFAW’s report
Ocean Noise: Turn it Down, a significant
emerging threat to great whales and
other marine species is ocean noise
pollution.
IFAW supports the recommendation
that available scientific information
on anthropogenic underwater noise
and its impacts on marine and
coastal biodiversity and habitats
be given greater consideration in
implementing the CBD program
of work on marine and coastal
biological diversity. IFAW will work
with partners to ensure that this
language is adopted.
Sustainable Use of Biodiversity –
Bushmeat (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/3)
IFAW believes that utilization of
bushmeat must be reduced to
subsistence needs, provided that such
hunting is conducted on an ecological
sustainable basis and that reasonable
precautions are taken to minimize
the infliction of unnecessary pain and
suffering on the animals affected. IFAW
also believes that wildlife protection
laws must be in place and effectively
enforced to ensure that species under
threat are neither hunted nor traded.
Noting that issues of animal welfare
also necessitate the development
of alternative food sources, IFAW
supports the request for the
Executive Secretary to develop
alternative options for small-scale
food and income alternatives in
tropical and subtropical countries
in order to reduce the unsustainable
use of bushmeat. IFAW also strongly
Unbridled noise pollution is drowning out the calls of
whales and other marine mammals with life-threatening
consequences for finding food, mating, nurturing young,
navigating, and communicating across vast distances.
The third meeting of the Working Group on Review of Implementation of the Convention has made a number of recommendations on
strategic goals and 2020 headline targets. IFAW recommends a number of specific revisions to this draft decision, including:
supports the recommendation in
Annex 1 that states “management
decisions should be made based on
the best available and applicable
science and the precautionary
approach.”
Invasive Alien Species
(UNEP/CBD/COP/10/3)
Alien Species that become invasive
are a direct driver of global biodiversity
loss. Mitigating the effects of invasive
species has been estimated to cost the
world economy billions of dollars every
year. IFAW works to reduce the threat of
invasive alien species through trainings
for wildlife enforcement agencies on
prevention of illegal wildlife trade and
will continue to raise awareness and
capabilities at and beyond CBD COP10.
IFAW supports the recommendation
for establishing an Ad Hoc
Technical Expert Group on
addressing the risks associated
with the introduction of alien
species. IFAW will work to ensure
that animal welfare considerations
are taken into account when making
suggestions to address the problems
aligned with alien species.
In instances where “culling”
or “eradication” of wildlife is
proposed, alternatives not involving
killing of animals by humans are
usually preferable on economic,
ethical, educational, and other
grounds.
Updating and revision of the Strategic Plan for the post-2010 period (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/4)
Propsed by CBD
Vision (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/1/ADD.2):
A world of ‘living in harmony with nature’ where ‘by 2050, biodiversity [our
natural capital] is valued, conserved, restored, and wisely used, sustaining
a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people.
Target 3 (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/1/Add.2):
By 2020, at the latest, incentives [including subsidies] harmful to biodi-
versity are eliminated, phased out or reformed in order to minimize or
avoid negative impacts [and positive incentives for the conservation and
sustainable use of biodiversity are developed and applied [consistent with
relevant international obligations]], taking into account national socio-
economic conditions.
Target 5 (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/1/Add.2):
By 2020, the rate of loss and degradation, and fragmentation of natural
habitats, [including forests], is [at least halved][brought close to zero]
Target 6 (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/1/Add.2):
[By 2020, overfishing is ended, destructive fishing practices are eliminated,
and all fisheries are managed sustainably.]
OR:
[By 2020, all exploited fish stocks and other living marine and aquatic
resources are harvested sustainably [and restored], and the impact of
fisheries on threatened species and vulnerable ecosystems are within safe
ecological limits.]
Target 9 (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/1/Add.2):
By 2020, invasive alien species are identified, prioritized and controlled or
eradicated and measures are in place to control pathways for the introduc-
tion and establishment of invasive alien species.
Target 12 (UNEP/CBD/COP/10/1/Add.2):
By 2020, the extinction and decline of known threatened species has been
prevented and improvement in the conservation status [for at least 10% of
them] has been achieved.
Parties must also agree to identify measurable sub-targets and milestones to monitor and control progress towards the new objectives
in 2020 and adjust annually as necessary to ensure that the agreed objectives are firmly met in 2020 and 2050.
IFAW Recommends
Revised Vision:
A world of ‘living in harmony with nature’ where ‘by 2050, biodiver-
sity is valued, conserved, and restored, sustaining a healthy planet
and delivering benefits essential for all people.
Revised Target 3:
By 2020, at the latest, incentives including subsidies harmful to
biodiversity [,“negative incentives,”] are eliminated and incentives
for the conservation of biodiversity [, “positive incentives,”] are
encouraged and applied.
Revised Target 5:
By 2020, the rate of loss and degradation, and fragmentation, of
natural habitats, including forests, is brought close to zero.
Revised Target 6:
By 2020, at the latest, harvest of flora and fauna, for any purpose,
is [ecologically] sustainable, legal, and traceable and causes
[no] [negligible] harm to habitats [, and no species of wild flora or
fauna is endangered by international trade.][or species threatened
with extinction that are or may be affected by international trade.]
Rationale: The scope of this target must be expanded beyond fisheries to
ensure ecologically sustainable harvest of all species and conservation of
habitat. Furthermore, the target must include the requirement that inter-
national trade in species of wildlife flora and fauna, most notably those
listed on the Appendices of the Convention on the International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, does not pose a threat to
their survival and recovery.
Revised Target 9:
By 2020, at the latest, invasive alien species of flora are identified,
prioritized, and controlled or eradicated, and invasive alien spe-
cies of fauna are identified, prioritized and humanely controlled
[and managed].
Rationale: While invasive alien animal and plant species are a major
threat to biodiversity, IFAW believes that control or eradication of animals
should be conducted humanely. IFAW also believes that prevention is the
best form of control and that strong border controls should be mandatory.
Revised Target 12:
By 2020, the extinction and decline of known threatened species
has been prevented and improvement in the conservation status
for at least 10% of them has been achieved.
WHO WE ARE
The International Fund for Animal Welfare
(IFAW)

International Headquarters 290

Summer Street
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675
United States Founded in 1969, IFAW (the International Fund
Tel: +1 (508) 744 2000 for Animal Welfare) saves animals in crisis around
Fax: +1 (508) 744 2099 the world. With projects in more than 40 countries,
info@ifaw.org IFAW rescues individual animals, works to prevent
cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection
of wildlife and habitats.

• IFAW works on the ground and in the halls of
government to protect wildlife and habitats,
prevent human-animal conflict, and fight against
poaching, all of which are critical to the survival
of elephants, tigers, whales and many other
species.
• IFAW’s founding campaign to end the commercial
seal hunt in Canada has made tremendous
progress in achieving bans on imports of seal
products - from the U.S. and Mexico to Europe -
closing key markets that fuel the largest marine
mammal hunt in the world. environment.
• IFAW is world leader in rescuing and
rehabilitating orphaned and injured animals, then
releasing them back to the wild, from bear cubs
in Russia and raptors in China to elephants, tigers
and rhinos in India.
• IFAW promotes responsible whale watching as
a viable alternative to whale hunting and has
helped make one-fifth of the world’s oceans a
sanctuary for whales. IFAW’s Song of theWhale
research vessel helps provide the scientific
knowledge required to help safeguard the marine
For more information, visit: www.ifaw.org

Wild tiger populations have

plummeted by more than 95% in the
past century, from 100,000 in 1900
to as few as 3,000 today.