Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.02.021
Title (Primary) Biodiversity pressure and the driving forces behind
Author Spangenberg, J.H.
Source Titel Ecological Economics
Year 2007
Department BZF
Volume 61
Issue 1
Page From 146
Page To 158
Language englisch
Keywords Biodiversity protection; Species diversity; Genetic diversity; Pressure analysis; Driving forces; Mitigation strategies; Mainstreaming biodiversity
Abstract Since the UNCED Conference in Rio de Janeiro 1992, the need to actively protect biodiversity is universally acknowledged. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defined biodiversity as comprising ecosystem diversity, species diversity and genetic diversity, and decided for the ecosystem level as the basis for describing biodiversity. However, due to conceptual problems as much as to the lack of data, so far no comprehensive measurements of biodiversity have been developed. A single measure quantitatively describing biodiversity even seems out of reach due to the incommensurability of the three levels. This makes it impossible to directly base policy decisions on existing or future estimates of the "total size" of biodiversity. Instead, it is suggested to analyse the pressures threatening biodiversity, which can usually be measured quantitatively, and act as the interface between the socioeconomic driving forces behind them and the biological impacts. The drivers (physical primary drivers, politics and policies causing them as secondary and institutional structures as tertiary ones) do not only affect biodiversity, but a range of sustainability problems. The analysis permits to integrate biodiversity risks with broader environmental and sustainability policies, and thus to mainstream biodiversity preservation. Such an analysis is presented for Europe, naming pressures and driving forces and illustrating the close links between the causes of biodiversity pressures and other environmental problems. This way, it is possible to develop first ideas how the standard set of environmental policies must be modified and extended to cover the issue of biodiversity.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=2336
Spangenberg, J.H. (2007):
Biodiversity pressure and the driving forces behind
Ecol. Econ. 61 (1), 146 - 158 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2006.02.021