Endangered Spaces and Species

• Author: Jamie Benidickson
• Pages: 301-330

301

CHAPTER 14

ENDANGERED

SPACES AND SPECIES

A. RATIONALES

Many features of environmenta l law safeguard human populations from

the adverse effects of environmental contamination and deterioration.

Other initiatives, however, are specif‌ically designed to protect the en-

vironment and its non-human inhabitants from seemingly inexorable

human interventions, even where such interventions — a transporta-

tion corridor, or a drainage program, for example — might be perceived

as “improvements.” Along with pollution, developments of this kind

impose severe costs on wild life either by contamination, fragmentation

of breeding territories, or destruction of certain types of vital habitat

and migration routes. In addition, of course, humans themselves value

and benef‌it from natural spaces for a range of economic, social, and

spiritual reasons.

The Canadian Wilderness Charter, a document developed under the

auspices of the World Wildlife Fund Canada and signed by more than

half a million people, constitutes a powerful statement of the ration-

ale for protecting wild and natural spaces. Humankind, the charter

reminds us, is but one of millions of species sharing a planet whose

future is severely threatened by our activities. Much of the Earth’s for-

mer wilderness character is already lost, thereby endangering many

species and ecosystems, but Canadians still have the opportunity to

complete a network of protected areas representing the biological di-

versity of the country. For their inherent value, for their inf‌luence on

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national identity, and in light of an intrinsic human need for spiritual

rekindling and artistic inspiration, Canada’s remaining wild spaces

should be protected. Protected areas can serve a variety of purposes,

including preserving a genetic reservoir of wild plants and animals

for future use and appreciation; producing economic benef‌its from en-

vironmentally sensitive tourism; offering opportunities for research

and environmental education; and maintaining options for traditional

and sustainable use by Aboriginal people.1

Very similar themes emerged from international discussions cul-

minating in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted at the

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio

de Janeiro in 1992. Since Canada was the f‌ir st industrialized country to

ratify the CBD a nd since the Secretariat for the Convention is located in

Montreal, it may be worthwhile outlining current strategic goals under

the CBD to provide a point of reference for related Canadian initiatives.

In 2010, the Parties to the CBD adopted a Strategic Plan for Biodi-

versity 2011–2020, with the purpose of inspiring broad-based action in

support of biodiversity.2 The Strategic Plan envisages that, “by 2050,

biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintain-

ing ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering ben-

ef‌its essential for all people.” The Strategic Plan is comprised of f‌ive

strategic goals and twenty a ssociated targets, collectively known as the

Aichi Targets.

The f‌irst strategic goal is to address the underlying causes of bio-

diversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity throughout government

and society. Accordingly, the Parties will work to raise awareness on

the values of biodiversity and integrate them into national and local

development and poverty reduction strategies and planning processes.

It is also hoped to eliminate, phase out, or reform subsidies or com-

parable incentives that are harmful to biodiversity, while developing

and applying positive incentives. A further aim is to ensure that gov-

ernments, business, and stakeholders implement plans for sustainable

production and consumption. Secondly, the CBD Parties seek to re-

duce direct pressures on biodiversity and to promote sustainable use

by halving the rate of loss of all natural habitats, including forests,

and signif‌icantly reducing degradation and fragmentation; using sus-

tainable practices to manage and harvest f‌ish and invertebrate stocks,

aquatic plants, and areas under agriculture, aquaculture, and forestry;

1 M Hummel, ed, Enda ngered Spaces: The Future for Canada’s Wilderness (Toronto:

Key Porter, 1989) at 275.

2 Online: w ww.cbd.int/doc/strategic-pl an/2011-2020/Aichi-Targets-EN.pdf.