UNESCO Round Table on Synergistic Implementation of the Rio Conventions in the Drylands
The Convention on Biodiversity (CBD), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) emanated from the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development (UNCED) convened at Rio De Janeiro in 1992 (and hence "Rio Conventions"). As such, these three legally binding UN agreements constitute tools for attaining sustainable
development at all scales. Since the subject matters of each of these agreements (climate change, loss of biodiversity and desertification) are interlinked, the joint implementation of these
conventions is of a potential to generate synergistic effect. Namely, implementing the CBD jointly with implementing the UFCCC may reduce biodiversity loss and climate change at faster rates than
if each of these conventions is independently implemented. Similarly, jointly implementing the UNFCCC and the UNCCD in the drylands may arrest desertification and slow down climate change more
effectively than if these two conventions are independently addressed. The objective of the UNESCO round table is to learn from stakeholders of the three agreements (representatives of their
secretariats, scientists, progamme managers, civil society and local communities) how this potential for synergies is already materialized, and to discuss ways and means to further promote it.
Among others, the Global Network of Biosphere Reserves, under the Man and Biosphere programme of UNESCO may constitute a powerful instrument for effectively addressing these synergies on the ground.
Theme Organizers:
Prof. Uriel Safriel
Hebrew university of Jerusalem, Israel
and Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Israel
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Uriel Safriel is a Professor of Ecology in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Professor Safriel took active part in the preparation of several IPCC and the Millennium Ecosystems Assessment Reports and recently in preparation of Israel's National Biodiversity Plan for the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection. Currently he is Head of the Center for Environmental Conventions at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research that functions as the Focal Point of Israel to the UNCCD, and he is the Chair of Israel National Man and Biosphere Committee.
Dr. Natarajan Ishwaran
Director, Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences Secretary, Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme UNESCO - PARIS
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Dr. Ishwaran received his BSc in Zoology and his MSc in Ecology from the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka and his Ph.D. in Wildlife Biology and Management from Michigan State University.
He was thirty years of experience in teaching, research, wildlife/protected areas planning and management, multi-lateral environmental and biodiversity treaties, and co-ordination and management of international co-operation in environment and development. Dr. Ishwaran has more than twenty-five publications in refereed journals and has co-authored two edited volumes on ecology, biodiversity conservation and protected area management themes. He has been working in UNESCO since 1986 in programs and activities linked to ecological sciences and biodiversity conservation in co-operation with intergovernmental forums, national and international NGOs, funds and foundations, and private sector institutions. In this capacity he has significant experience negotiating for technical and financial benefits, particularly for less developed countries, for biodiversity conservation, protected area management, ecological sciences research and capacity building.
Description of UNESCO involvement
The Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences of UNESCO is the focal point for UNESCO relations on all three Rio (1992) Conventions, namely CBD, UNFCCC and UNCCD. It oversees two of the many intergovernamental and international scientific programmes of UNESCO directly related to sustainable development; namely the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) and the International Geological Sciences (IGCP) Programme, respectively. The Division promotes ecosystem, biodiversity and earth sciences and remote sensing applications for sustainable development. Capacity building in less developed countries, particularly strengthening ecological and earth sciences applications in sustainable use of biodiversity in Africa, is a major emphasis. The Division also advocates and supports the use of biosphere reserves designated under the MAB Programme as laboratories and learning sites for sustainable development. The implementation of the Madrid Action Plan (2008-2013) will emphasize the use of biosphere reserves as learning places for sustainable development to generate knowledge resources for the last five years (2010-2014) of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD).
