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Island signs up to Rio Convention

Wednesday, 11 July 2012

The date has been announced when the Island will be included in the UK’s ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity (one of the three Rio Conventions). It is Monday 6 August.

'This is a major milestone for our outstanding natural heritage', declared Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Minister, Phil Gawne MHK. 'My Department has been working towards this for some time. This is important for the future of the land and marine ecosystems on which we depend. The natural world provides us with seafood, fertile soil, freshwater, cultural inspiration for the arts, places for recreation and enjoyment, coastal protection, pest control and other services worth many millions of pounds a year. A recent study commissioned by DEFA valued a selection of services, covering tourism and recreation, and water supply from the areas of habitat on land as worth £42m a year. We know this is an underestimate. A similar study will be done for the sea.' 

Minister Gawne went on to say: 'It is increasingly recognised that biodiversity plays an important part in people’s physical and mental health as well as making the Island the beautiful place where people want to live, work and have their holidays.'

In the spring the Island received notification that the UK’s Foreign Secretary had signed the letter to the UN, saying that the UK had agreed to the extension of the Convention on Biological Diversity to the Isle of Man. Under this notification the Convention will enter into force for the Island on the 90th day after the deposit with the UN, which is Monday 6 August. The depositary notification is in the public domain and can be found on the UN Treaties website. 

This Multilateral Environmental Agreement has 193 parties and requires them each, by 2015, to develop, adopt and start implementing a Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, based on the 20 targets agreed at the 2010 meeting in Japan. A drafting sub-committee of the Island's Conservation Forum (made up of organisations with an interest in biodiversity) is undertaking this process. It is expected that a draft strategy will be available for consultation in early 2013.

As part of this work the Department is looking at the possibility of the Island and its waters being given Biosphere Reserve status.

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