Conference told regional growth has come at a cost

Rapid economic growth in the UAE and Asia has come at a huge environmental cost. Experts told a UN conference in Dubai how biodiversity – the planet’s essential variety of life forms – is declining every day and endangering economies, livelihoods and the quality of life of people everywhere.

Major ecosystems are threatened by climate change, land use, overfishing, invasive alien species, pollution and waste.

If businesses and economies continue to grow at the current rate in the west Asia region until 2050, environmentalists expect a 45 per cent loss of habitats and species.

“We are now looking at how to get local communities involved in protected areas in this region, as most of the conservation areas are places where people need to live,” said David Ainsworth, information officer from the Convention of Biological Diversity at the UN Environment Programme.

“For years, we have been having conversations with those already concerned about protected areas or the future of certain species and fauna.

“What we know is that it is the major economic sectors causing biodiversity loss, and these conversations are not happening with them.”

Legal specialists and the UN Environment Programme co-ordinators also raised the plight of activists around the world who have spoken out against environmental crimes, pollution, land rights and widespread habitat loss.

More than 200 environmental defenders were killed last year, with many more harassed, intimidated or forced from their lands, the UN said.

Others were detained by governments, with 50 lives lost this year on the front lines of environmental protection, according to the UN.

The first comprehensive overview for more than a decade of the state of knowledge about global biodiversity will be published in May.

The Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services was compiled over three years by 150 experts, and will reveal the latest research on land-based ecosystems, inland waters and oceans.

It will evaluate changes over the past 50 years, and look forward to scenarios, possible pathways and policy options.

Once published, it is expected to inform policy and action on biodiversity to 2030 and beyond.

“Governments need to sit down with those people who are planning infrastructure development,” said Mr Ainsworth.

“Those who decide on building roads and cities need to understand how biodiversity in those areas can be protected.”