This November 3, we mark for the first time the International Day of Biosphere Reserves, an initiative of UNESCO.
Posted at 11:00 a.m.
And next month, the planet is set to come together in Montreal for the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15, to tackle one of the existential threats to our planet and humanity.
The world network of biosphere reserves was launched in 1971 in order to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity and its sustainable use. Today there are 738 reserves located in 134 countries, including 19 in Canada – 4 in Quebec: Lac Saint-Pierre, Mont Saint-Hilaire, Charlevoix and Manicouagan-Uapishka. The specificity of such reserves is that they attempt to harmonize human activity with the biodiversity and ecosystems of the territory, both rich and fragile.
In the case of Lake Saint-Pierre, a remnant of the Champlain Sea located in the fluvial corridor between the islands of Berthier-Sorel and Trois-Rivières, the territory constitutes 50% of the wetlands of the St. Lawrence and is home to many plant species. and wildlife, some of which are in difficulty, such as yellow perch. But it is obviously not a question of prohibiting human activity in the lake and the adjacent territory, with the exception of certain strictly protected areas such as the heronry of La Grande Île, one of the largest in North America. The region is indeed teeming with economic activity, particularly agriculture, forestry and industry, including certain sectors engaged in ecological transition.
The preferred approach to achieving our objectives is consultation with all types of players in the territory: voluntary organizations, economic players (agriculture, industry, tourism, river transport), aboriginal communities, universities and scientific establishments, resort, hunting and fishing sectors, cultural organizations, as well as the various levels of government (riverside municipalities, RCMs, provincial and federal governments). It is not always easy to reconcile all these interests and the resulting conflicts of use, but dialogue and commitment make it possible to find solutions to the issues and to act accordingly.
At the local level, this approach illustrates the challenge and especially the possibilities of what can be done at the national and international level. And it is in this perspective that the participants at COP15 should present themselves.
PHOTO PHILIPPE MANNING, PROVIDED BY BIOPHARE
The La Grande Île heronry is one of the largest in North America.
We often tend to associate the issue of biodiversity with the sole protection of emblematic animal species, such as whales, or to make it a secondary aspect of another equally critical crisis, that of climate change. However, biodiversity is much more than that.
The issues associated with biodiversity are indeed critical for our prosperity and quality of life, even our survival: drinking water, food, health, in addition to many materials entering the economic production chain. The World Economic Forum in Davos describes biodiversity as one of the main risks we face.
Thus the COP and the protection of biodiversity must mobilize not only environmentalists, but also a broad coalition of stakeholders, ranging from governments to the private sector and the scientific community.
COP15 participants will develop a global framework and action plan to address biodiversity loss over the next decade.
The meeting will take place under the presidency of China, but our governments here, at all levels, will have a leading role. Canada, in addition to hosting the meeting, seconded an expert to co-chair negotiations on the main text. The Government of Quebec and the City of Montreal, for their part, lead a summit of cities and subnational governments. A business forum will be held; we hope that the Quebec economic community will be there. Finance Montréal, for its part, will lead a large delegation of stakeholders in sustainable finance and will co-organize a day on finance and biodiversity.
At the same time, let’s continue our mobilization work with young people and the general public. This is what we are doing on this International Day of Biosphere Reserves by launching two exhibitions, one at the Museum of Biodiversity in Bécancour and the other at the Biophare in Sorel-Tracy.
Finally, in the philosophy of biosphere reserves, we encourage everyone to pursue the implementation of local solutions to global issues related to biodiversity.
* The author is also a Fellow at the Institute of International Studies in Montreal and at the German Marshall Fund.