276 * Technologies To Maintain Biological Diversity 



ited and unreliable data on the rates and im- 

 pacts of habitat conversion exacerbate the 

 problem of refining a strategy and determin- 

 ing the level of resources that should be directed 

 to address concerns. Clearly, biological diver- 

 sity in certain regions is acutely threatened and 

 deserves priority attention. However, attention 

 is also needed on gaining a better grasp on 

 defining the scope of diversity and the degree 

 to which it is threatened. 



Many questions remain even as understand- 

 ing of the magnitude of threats to diversity con- 

 tinues to improve. Critics suggest that a better 

 grasp of the situation is needed before large 

 amounts of resources are devoted to the prob- 

 lem (66). It should be noted, however, that funds 

 currently spent on diversity maintenance are 

 relatively small and are not likely to increase 

 dramatically. More important perhaps is the 

 realization that funding, both public and pri- 

 vate, continues to be directed to well-defined 

 threats. That is, the situation as it currently ex- 

 ists is essentially reactionary — responding to 

 acute threats that have already materialized. 

 Recognition of the importance of biological 

 diversity has yet to assume the prominence that 

 would make most national governments take 

 systematic and preemptive approaches to threat- 

 ened diversity, which in the long run might 

 prove less costly. Increased attention and rec- 

 ognition of national and regional conservation 

 strategies as important elements of integrated 

 development planning may represent move- 

 ment to adopt this approach. 



Considerable discussion among international 

 conservation organizations has been directed 

 toward the need to develop an international net- 

 work of protected areas that would include rep- 

 resentative and unique ecosystems. To date, 

 however, organizing, implementing, and sup- 

 porting such a system remains difficult. Efforts 

 to establish such a system have not suffered 

 from lack of creativity, as reflected in two large- 

 scale proposals: one to create a major interna- 

 tional program to finance the preservation of 

 10 percent of the remaining tropical forests (65) 

 and another to establish a world conservation 

 bank (69). 



It maybe possible to establish an international 

 network of protected areas within the framework 

 of existing programs, specifically UNESCO's 

 Man in the Biosphere and World Heritage pro- 

 grams. To do so, however, would require adopt- 

 ing a more organized and strategic policy, fur- 

 ther invigorating both programs, and providing 

 increased resources. This would require a more 

 concerted effort on the part of national govern- 

 ments, intergovernmental agencies, and the 

 participation of specific international non- 

 governmental groups (especially lUCN). 



Two other issues are prominent with respect 

 to the effectiveness of international laws and 

 programs (47). First, there is debate over the 

 value of a global treaty to fill what some per- 

 ceive as a serious gap in hard law. Second, alter- 

 natives to conventional protected areas need 

 to be considered to provide protection beyond 

 such areas or at sites where the conventional 

 approach is not feasible. 



The notion of a world treaty to conserve 

 genetic resources of wild species was proposed 

 at the lUCN World National Parks Congress 

 in 1982. A similar recommendation by the 

 World Resources Institute was proposed for the 

 U.S. Government to develop an international 

 convention. However, one key question that 

 needs to be addressed before implementation 

 is whether a new global treaty could be adopted 

 and enforced in time to address the problem. 

 In addition, consideration must be given to fi- 

 nancial and technical resources still needed for 

 treaties that currently play a role in resource 

 conservation. 



Existing treaties have been difficult to im- 

 plement because of a lack of administrative 

 machinery (e.g., well-funded and staffed sec- 

 retariats); lack of financial support for on-the- 

 ground programs (e.g., equipment, training, and 

 staff); and lack of reciprocal obligations that 

 serve as incentives to comply (21). A possible 

 exception is CITES, which has mechanisms to 

 facilitate reciprocal trade controls and a tech- 

 nical secretariat, although inadequately funded. 



Creating protected areas is the conventional 

 approach in most international conservation 



