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Summary

Environment Class 12

## REVISION OF THE PREVIOUS CLASS (5:07 PM):

- The biospheres contain flora and fauna in their most pure state.
- The analysis of these areas would help in better understanding human impacts in other areas.

## Man And Biosphere (MAB)Program:

- UNESCO launched the Man & Biosphere Program (MAB) in 1971.
- The program aimed at establishing a scientific basis for improving the relations between people and their environment.
- This scientific basis is based on the principles:
- I. Natural Sciences.
- II. Social Sciences
- III. Economics
- IV. Education.
- The scientific basis is created from a clear understanding of how ecosystems function in their most natural state and how ecological processes work in these regions.

## Benefits of the analysis:

- This knowledge is a reference to understanding changes due to man-related and natural-related causes in comparable ecosystems.
- This provides an understanding of how man's actions have changed the natural ecosystems.
- To examine the nature of interactions between man, nature and also understand the pattern of resource use and exploitation.
- In biosphere reserves, the resource-use pattern has not led to any significant adverse impact on natural resources and ecosystems.
- Therefore, this pattern of human activity could be integrated with models of social & economic development.
- This will result in development without adversely impacting the ecosystem.
- Hence, sustainable development strategies can be designed based on such patterns of human activity to be implemented at different levels- local to international.
- The MAB accepts that modern industrial development, urban development, and energy have caused serious damage to natural resources and ecosystems.
- MAB, therefore, seeks to understand what kind of impact these activities had on ecosystems.
- Based on this knowledge, alternative models of industrial & urban development and energy production can be designed.
- This can lead to the formation of sustainable development models.
- When researchers study biosphere reserves worldwide in different geographic and cultural settings, a clear understanding of how ecological processes and ecosystems work in different conditions is generated.
- This improves basic knowledge and also helps in developing the right types of conservation strategies.

## BIOSPHERE RESERVES (5:40 PM):

- They have been created as protected areas by the International Coordinating Council (ICC) of the MAB program in 1971.
- They represent natural biomes, natural resources, ecological processes & ecosystems in their most natural state.
- Protecting them as biosphere reserves will preserve the last few regions on the earth's surface where nature is present in its most natural state.
- Being in a pristine state, they are a very good source of baseline information for knowledge, research, and practical applications like the right strategy.
- They have unique communities of biodiversity and also unusual features of great scientific value.
- They may have unique landscapes or species.
- They may have degraded ecosystems capable of being restored to their natural state.
- Since they include some communities of man exploiting the resources without causing harm to the ecosystem, they provide examples of sustainable use of resources.
- This can be used to develop sustainable development strategies, which can be included in socio-economic development models.
- As these regions allow natural and evolutionary processes to continue without interference from man, they are needed for sustainable evolution on Earth.
- Since communities have been interacting with ecosystems in these regions, it will provide ideas for developing conservation strategies involving local participation.
- They are protected under **Category V of the IUCN** classification.
- ![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fbghnu4WQAIDHfa?format=jpg&name=medium)

## ZONES IN A BIOSPHERE RESERVE (6:10 PM):

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- **Core:**
- This can be understood as the central region of the biosphere reserve.
- They have natural resources in an almost pure state.
- This will have the highest degree of biodiversity, endemism, and protection.
- No human activities are allowed in this area except research and training.
- Conservation projects are usually designed based on the core zone.
- The core has a well-defined boundary.

## Buffer zone:

- This zone is situated between the core and the outermost transition zone.
- This is rich in biodiversity, but it has been altered to some extent by man.
- Limited human activities(tourism, recreation grazing, etc), without adverse impact on the core, are allowed.
- Ecosystem restoration and demonstration projects are taken up here.
- The buffer zone also has a well-defined boundary.

## Transitional zone:

- This is the outermost zone of a biosphere.
- The region has no well-defined boundaries.
- All land use patterns and human activities are allowed, but based on improved skills to minimize the effects on the biosphere reserve.
- It is important to allow some human activities here because otherwise, people might be forced to enter buffer and core zones.

## WORLD NETWORK OF BIOSPHERE RESERVES (6:35 PM):

- The ICC of MAB created the World Network of Biosphere Reserves in 1976 with the objectives of promoting economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
- They include the most important regions of biodiversity in the world.

## The aims are:

- Develop and maintain regions of ecological and cultural diversity.
- Strengthen the ecosystem services for human well-being.
- Develop and integrate knowledge that is created from the study of these networked biosphere reserves.
- Capacity building by creating a pool of conservationists and researchers for management.
- |  |
  | --- |
  | **Capacity Building:**  - This refers to training the concerned communities in the skills and behavioral patterns required to fulfill any goal. - For example, capacity building for fishermen would include providing them with information, capital, and equipment which would help them in catching more fish. - Information regarding fish breeding grounds, seasons, techniques to get more harvest, better nets, cold storage for the fish, etc. would be included. |
- Nilgiri, Gulf of Mannar, Sundarbans, Panna, etc. are some biosphere reserves that are part of the network.

## CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY (CBD) (7:15 PM):

- It was finalized at Rio Earth Summit in 1992.
- The first objective was to conserve biodiversity.
- The second objective is to use biological resources in a sustainable manner.
- The third objective is a fair and equitable share of benefits arising from biodiversity.
- Traditional knowledge and practices which have been preserved and used for centuries must be recognized.
- If any company wishes to utilize traditional knowledge commercially, that must be done only after the informed consent of the communities concerned.
- India passed the **Biological Diversity Act, of 2002** to comply with the convention.
- Under the act, **Biodiversity Management Committees** must collect traditional knowledge at local levels for storage and legal registration.

## KEY PROVISIONS OF CBD (7:35 PM):

- Countries have sovereign rights over the biological resources within their territory and therefore can control access to it.
- On-site conservation should be the key conservation strategy to maintain biodiversity in its natural form.
- Developed countries have an obligation to transfer funds to developing countries so that they are able to meet the cost of conservation.
- Developed countries are also obliged to transfer technologies to developing countries for effective conservation & sustainable use of biodiversity.
- Users of biological resources should compensate communities who have contributed to traditional knowledge on the use of biodiversity for certain purposes.

## Cartagena Protocol on Biodiversity 2000:

- It is a part of the CBD.
- Biosafety refers to the need to protect human and environmental health from the possible adverse effects of the products of biotechnology.
- The protocol declares that developed countries should transfer technologies for biosafety to developing countries.
- It calls upon all countries to develop procedures to improve safety while using products of biotech.
- It is for safe handling, packaging, transportation, and use of **Living Modified Organisms( LMOs)** resulting from modern biotechnology.
- The protocol deals with the safe and sustainable usage of transgenic crops/animals.
- Transgenic crops/animals are those which have their DNA  modified using genetic engineering.
- This is done to include certain desirable characteristics in the species.
- **Bt Cotton** is the only transgenic crop sown in India; it shows higher resistance to pests than normal cotton.
- The protocol also lays down the standards to be compulsorily followed during transboundary movements of LMOs.
- There must be informed consent from both the importers and exporters of LMOs.
- Both parties must be clear about the possible uses and dangers associated with the LMOs.

## The topics for the next class are Nagoya Protocol, Aichi Targets, Indian steps taken, Ecosensitive Zones, etc.