This work presents a thorough analysis and commentary on the 1992 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity which was opened for signature following the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development. This Convention is the first international treaty to explicitly address all aspects of biodiversity, ranging from the conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use of biological resources, to access to biotechnology and the safety of activities related to modified living organisms.
The work extends beyond the ambit of the Convention itself to examine the conservation of biodiversity in international law, including measures for the protection of the terrestrial, marine and Antarctic environment and particular features relating to sustainable use of biological resources, ex-situ conservation and plant genetic resources.
It further analyzes the controversial issue of intellectual property rights, the problems of implementation in the EU, differences between developing and developed states, and the role of indigenous people.
This major new work has been written by members of the Committee on Environmental Law of the British branch of the International Law Association, following an earlier study of International Law and Global Climate Change (Graham & Trotman, 1991).
- The nature, development and philosophical foundations of the biodiversity concept in international law
- The Rio convention on biological diversity
- Sustainability, biodiversity and international law
- The conservation of existing agreements for the conservation of terrestrial species and habitats to the maintenance of biodiversity
- The conservation of marine ecosystems under international law
- The protection of the Antarctic environment and the ecosystem approach
- The role of ex-situ measures in the conservation of biodiversity
- International regimes for the conservation and control of plant genetic resources
- Intellectual property rights and biodiversity
- Biodiversity conservation in the United States
- The European Community and preservation of biological diversity
- Developing countries, 'development' and the conservation of biological diversity
- Biodiversity and indigenous people
- Financial aid, biodiversity and international law