International Biodiversity Resource Management

The course presents an overview of biodiversity management in an international perspective. It is divided into three modules:

• 1. Introduction to international environmental management, with emphasis on biodiversity
• 2a. International conventions aiming to protect biodiversity including EU work related to nature conservation
• 2b. Other agreements and conservation tools which are available to nature protection including red lists
• 3. Case study on species, species group or area under protection by environmental agreements

1. Introduction to International Biodiversity Management Governmental and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across the globe interact to conserve the Earth's biodiversity. This module concerns the networks of decision-making and implementation in the field of biodiversity. Among the questions covered are: What are the implications of individual state legislation, EU legislation and international treaties? What is the role of NGOs such as IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) and IPBES (International Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services)? What is the difference between a treaty, other types of international agreements, and EU directives and regulations? What is the implication of a state  signing and ratifying a treaty? What is the relationship between biodiversity conservation and management of natural resources?

2a. Treaties

The contents of the following treaties will be studied and their implications discussed:

• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) including the Global Taxonomy Initiative(GTI)
• Convention on International Trade with Endangered Species (CITES)
• Ramsar and the World Heritage Conventions 
• Convention on Migratory Species o Convention to Combat Desertification
• The Bern Convention and its implications for EU legislation
• EU Habitats Directive (Natura 2000)
• EU Birds Directive

2b. Other agreements and conservation tools

This module will address the issue of intellectual property of biodiversity and a number of practical approaches to avoid loss of biodiversity.

• TEED report on intellectual properties
• Redd+ (Restriction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation - native species; UNEP)
• Red lists (IUCN)
• In situ and ex situ conservation, gene banks, museum collections

Links are made to the 17 UN Sustainability Development Goals

3. Case study

In the individual project the focus is on species or areas highlighted in international conventions. For the species or area selected, the student describes the biological background and the particular aspects leading to its position under threat, as well as account for the protection provided by international legislation and agreements. This module is meant to give students an understanding of how scientific knowledge is used in environmental conservation work.