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Ong, David M. --- "International Environmental Law Governing Threats to Biological Diversity" [2010] ELECD 612; in Fitzmaurice, Malgosia; Ong, M. David; Merkouris, Panos (eds), "Research Handbook on International Environmental Law" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2010)

Book Title: Research Handbook on International Environmental Law

Editor(s): Fitzmaurice, Malgosia; Ong, M. David; Merkouris, Panos

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781847201249

Section: Chapter 24

Section Title: International Environmental Law Governing Threats to Biological Diversity

Author(s): Ong, David M.

Number of pages: 23

Extract:

24 International environmental law governing threats to
biological diversity*
David M. Ong



Introduction
States have an obvious self-interest in ensuring the prudent use of (non-living) natural
resources such as oil, coal and gas, not only to maintain present needs but also to provide for
the needs of future generations.1 Plants and animals, on the other hand, have traditionally
been perceived as a type of (living) natural resource which unlike coal and gas constitute a
resource capable of self-renewal, provided appropriate steps are taken to conserve existing
populations. Threats to wildlife species, their habitats and natural ecosystems in general arise
from a variety of sources. Various species have been captured through the centuries for food.
Exploitation has taken numerous forms, such as hunting for skins, feathers, and other prod-
ucts used or traded by mankind; capturing for display in zoos, for scientific research, keeping
as pets, and for medicinal, cultural, religious and artistic purposes, amongst others. However,
it is now apparent that the conservation of living resources cannot be achieved merely by
controlling the means for their exploitation by humankind. In particular, wild plants and
animals cannot be conserved simply by focusing on the protection of individual species
through controls over human activities impinging directly upon such species. Their protec-
tion also requires the preservation of their habitat and the complementary protection of related
and dependent species, as well as the non-living elements of the environment on which they
all rely (Birnie and Boyle, 2002: 4). ...