Convention On Biological Diversity Research Articles

Ecologically and Biologically Significant Marine Protected Areas in the Caspian Sea: A Review

This paper provides a brief review of the ecologically and biologically significant marine protected areas in the Caspian Sea. As a result of the collaboration between the Tehran Convention and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) the Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea took place from 25 to 29 April 2017 in Baku (Azerbaijan). The Regional Workshop compiled a list of areas in the above seas that meet the EBSA criteria with corresponding detailed description of each areas based on scientific information available at that time. We provide a brief information on each of these 16 EBSAs in the Caspian Sea in accordance with their descriptions. We discuss different definitions of specially protected areas given by different international organizations, as well as the fact that the EBSA is not a marine protected area by a definition. We discuss a possible evolution and transformation of the Caspian EBSAs in the modern period in connection with the continuing fall in the Caspian Sea level.

Move past promises for biodiversity.

As nations convene this week in Cali, Colombia, at the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the alarming rate at which the world is losing biodiversity will again be in the spotlight. Habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and unsustainable use of resources continue to drive this loss. COP16 (the organization's highest authority) presents another opportunity for world leaders to do more than just assess progress and renew commitments, and instead adopt binding obligations for the entire world.

International Legal Framework for Traditional Knowledge and Intellectual Property Rights

Traditional knowledge held by indigenous and local communities has important cultural and ecological value. International legal frameworks have been developed to protect and manage this knowledge in a fair and sustainable manner. Legal instruments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol regulate access to genetic resources and promote the equitable sharing of benefits among communities holding traditional knowledge. However, implementation at the national level is faced with challenges such as harmonization with complex national laws and limited resources. Case studies demonstrate the various strategies used by countries to improve legal protection, including strengthening national legal frameworks and active participation of indigenous communities in decision-making. With joint efforts, it is hoped that this legal framework will ensure that traditional knowledge is well preserved for future generations, while providing equitable benefits to the communities that own it.

Seeds and farmers' rights as drivers of change on food systems

In the heart of Kenya's vibrant agricultural landscape lies a fundamental aspect crucial for food security, cultural heritage, and economic resilience: the right to seed. Embedded within the fabric of traditional farming practices, the right to seed encompasses the freedom of farmers to save, exchange, and utilize traditional and farmer-bred seeds. In Kenya, as in many other countries, this right is not only a legal concept but a cornerstone of agricultural sovereignty. However, its preservation faces challenges in the face of globalization, corporate interests, and evolving intellectual property regimes. Yet, amidst these challenges, significant strides are being made, with collaborative efforts at the global level, particularly through initiatives led by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), aimed at promoting and protecting farmers' rights. Every smallholder farmer has the right to safe, nutritious and healthy food and the ability to sustain themselves and their societies with the existing endorsed resources. The concept of farmers’ rights came out as a subject of debate in international agricultural circles, spearheaded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). This includes the right to save, use, exchange and sell farm-saved seed and propagating materials, the right to protect traditional knowledge among others. In developing countries, the right to seed is a fundamental aspect of agricultural sovereignty and food security. This still emulates the subject debate from FAO. However, attention in scientific literature and policy circles for both seeds and farmers’ rights are compromised. This paper employs mediation analysis to explore the causal relationship between seed rights, farmers' rights, and food sovereignty, highlighting the pivotal role of smallholder farmers in shaping sustainable food systems. The findings underscore the importance of inclusive policies that prioritize farmers' rights and empower local communities to sustainably manage their seed resources. Key words: Farmer-managed seeds, seed banks, Access, smallholder farmers and benefit-sharing

Bio-Based Innovation and the Global Patent System: Exploring the WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge

Abstract This opinion critically examines the 2024 WIPO Treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources and Associated Traditional Knowledge, a new instrument addressing the use of genetic resources (GR), and traditional knowledge associated with GR (ATK) in the global patent system. Given the Treaty’s position at the intersection of intellectual property and environmental law, this article discusses its history and negotiation in the first part, including the Treaty’s links to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). It then discusses the concept of bio-based innovation and its role in the bioeconomy. Following this, the article assesses the Treaty’s contents, including its context and objectives, scope, the Patent Disclosure Requirement (PDR), sanctions and remedies for non-compliance with the PDR, information systems on GR and ATK, and its relationship with other international instruments. The article highlights the extensive diplomatic negotiations that shaped the final text and considers potential amendments that could be made during the Treaty’s review process. The Treaty is intended to improve the global patent system’s effectiveness, transparency, and quality concerning GR and ATK and to prevent Offices from granting patents erroneously. Its provisions present new challenges and complexities for stakeholders, and its long-term success will depend on ongoing international collaboration and engagement, both within and outside the Treaty’s framework, and ensuring equitable benefit-sharing from the use of GR and ATK as part of a global sustainable bioeconomy.

Brazil's implementation of access and benefit-sharing and the Nagoya Protocol: Analyzing some trends and positions in the ongoing debate

Access and benefit-sharing (ABS) arising from the utilization of biodiversity’s genetic resources and traditional knowledge is the third objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Since its inception, some parties to the CBD have enacted ABS-national legislation and in 2014, the Nagoya Protocol came into force, providing a global standard among ABS systems. Given this, Brazil has been working to implement ABS since 2001, especially after the enactment of the national Biodiversity Law (Law 13.123/2015), which is the domestic law for the Nagoya Protocol implementation. This paper examines how the implementation of ABS and the Nagoya Protocol is viewed, discussed and debated by some stakeholders. Based on qualitative semi-structured interviews, press releases, public declarations, legislation and grey literature, the paper reveals that although ABS has faced strong criticism and delivered modest results, most stakeholders consider it strategic and important, especially in the face of the bioeconomy–biodiversity nexus. In general, positions on the implementation of ABS policies and the Nagoya Protocol in Brazil can be devised in the following categories: 1) acceptance and optimistic appreciation of ABS, 2) acceptance of ABS mechanisms but impending need for adjustments, 3) acceptance of ABS mechanisms as a ‘bad with it, worse without it’ scenario, and 4) rejection of ABS. Our research also shows that when it comes to ABS and providers of genetic resources, debates centred on the topic of biopiracy have declined, while debates characterized by compromise, institutionalization and the steering of ABS via the implementation process are on the rise.

Rapid evaluation of habitat connectivity change to safeguard multispecies persistence in human-transformed landscapes

AbstractFollowing the adoption of the Post-2020 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) there is a clear science-policy need to protect habitat connectivity and track its change over time to safeguard biodiversity and inform conservation planning. In response to this need we describe an analytical, multi-indicator and multispecies approach for the rapid assessment of habitat connectivity at fine spatial grain and at the extent of an entire ecoregion. Out of 68 connectivity indicators we found through a literature review, we identified a key-set of six indicators that align with the Essential Biodiversity Variables framework and are suitable to guide rapid action for connectivity and conservation targets in the KM-GBF. Using these selected indicators, we mapped and evaluated connectivity change from 2011 to 2021 across the ecoregion of the St-Lawrence Lowlands in Quebec (~ 30,000 km2) for seven ecoprofile species representing regional forest habitat needs. For most of these species, trends over the last decade indicate a decline in effective connected area and metapopulation carrying capacity, via a division of large contiguous habitat into smaller fragments, whereas on average, habitat area slightly increased. These results highlight that temporal changes in habitat area and connectivity are not necessarily correlated and the urgent need to conserve and restore connectivity to meet targets under the KM-GBF. We provide an R-tool to support our general approach, which enables a comprehensive evaluation of connectivity for regional spatial planning for biodiversity in regions with moderate to high human disturbance.

A summary framework for effective engagement of IPLCs and rangers

In this paper we focus on the pressing need to effectively engage with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) and the need to strengthen the capacity of rangers originating from these communities. Opportunities for full participation and leadership by IPLCs are improved by enhancing the role of Indigenous and local rangers in fostering relationships while integrating cultural knowledge into the work on the ground. This also strengthens local benefits. We emphasize the invaluable contribution of IPLCs to conservation, often honed over generations, and explore current models of partnership and engagement. Particularly, we spotlight the vital role of IPLC rangers, who leverage unique skills, local knowledge, and cultural practices in their conservation work. The roles of both IPLCs and local Indigenous rangers are essential if we are to meet our goals for conserving 30% of the earth’s lands and waters by 2030 as promoted at the COP15 meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), achieve the objectives for development of IPLC rangers as stated of Chitwan Declaration of 2019 (CD), or meet the related targets set by the Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA). We advocate for a partnership model with IPLCs that applies the principles of Collective Impact to improve outcomes and secure enduring benefits at all levels. To aid stakeholders in conservation projects involving IPLCs (including governments, businesses, and non-governmental organizations), we propose a straightforward summary framework that outlines stages for the development of relationships and projects. It integrates the work of others, including foundation principles, management systems for partnerships, and good practices, and stresses the need for pre-project training, learning and other forms of preparation. Altogether, these principles and accompanying recommendations help lay the groundwork for effective intergenerational projects involving IPLCs with long-term benefits.

Three-dimensional conservation planning of fish biodiversity metrics to achieve the deep-sea 30×30 conservation target.

Accelerating rate of human impact and environmental change severely affects marine biodiversity and increases the urgency to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 30×30 plan for conserving 30% of sea areas by 2030. However, area-based conservation targets are complex to identify in a 3-dimensional (3D) ocean where deep-sea features such as seamounts have been seldom studied mostly due to challenging methodologies to implement at great depths. Yet, the use of emerging technologies, such as environmental DNA combined with modern modeling frameworks, could help address the problem. We collected environmental DNA, echosounder acoustic, and video data at 15 seamounts and deep island slopes across the Coral Sea. We modeled 7 fish community metrics and the abundances of 45 individual species and molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) in benthic and pelagic waters (down to 600-m deep) with boosted regression trees and generalized joint attribute models to describe biodiversity on seamounts and deep slopes and identify 3D protection solutions for achieving the CBD area target in New Caledonia (1.4millionkm2). We prioritized the identified conservation units in a 3D space, based on various biodiversity targets, to meet the goal of protecting at least 30% of the spatial domain, with a focus on areas with high biodiversity. The relationship between biodiversity protection targets and the spatial area protected by the solution was linear. The scenario protecting 30% of each biodiversity metric preserved almost 30% of the considered spatial domain and accounted for the 3D distribution of biodiversity. Our study paves the way for the use of combined data collection methodologies to improve biodiversity estimates in 3D structured marine environments for the selection of conservation areas and for the use of biodiversity targets to achieve area-based international targets.

Historical and relative dominance of the convention on biological diversity agenda: a case analysis of decisions and recommendations

In contrast to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) gives developing countries greater bargaining power owing to their abundant natural resources. CBD negotiations tend to be increasingly dominated by agendas related to the CBD’s third objective: benefit sharing. The first and core objective of CBD is biodiversity conservation, but it is often neglected in favor of benefit sharing. To verify this tendency, this study used topic modeling to analyze the recommendations of the subsidiary bodies and decisions made by the Conference of the Parties (COP) over the past 30 years. The study identified the ten most frequently discussed agenda, then determined the relative dominant agenda between the COP and subsidiary bodies. By categorizing the negotiation agendas into strategic decision agendas and operational conservation agendas based on the level of the meeting which the agenda dominated, this study offers a new framework that can be used to understand how strategic and operational factors interact in CBD negotiations. The findings show that biodiversity conservation, the first objective of CBD, is no longer dominant, at least during negotiations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive investigation of all documents generated during CBD negotiations since its inception.

The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement need a joint work programme for climate, nature and people

Abstract The global climate and biodiversity crises are closely intertwined, yet no policy instrument currently tackles both jointly. This is problematic, as the lack of international platforms for designing coordinated and coherent policy frameworks that align targets across the nexus of biodiversity and climate change poses risks to nature and people. Here, we argue that the successful implementation of both the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) requires a joint work programme between the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Such a joint work programme could fill the current global governance vacuum and address critical implementation gaps, while fostering innovation and synergies in climate and biodiversity action. Based on a review of existing work programmes under the UNFCCC and interagency and joint work programmes established with the CBD, we provide a concept of how this joint programme could be set up, ideas on the type of issues it should tackle and recommendations for successful implementation. Policy implications: The UNFCCC and CBD are unique platforms for providing the evidence to, and guiding the way through the changes we need, but higher levels of integration between the biodiversity and climate change agendas are needed to plug the implementation gap between the GBF and the Paris Agreement. The upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP) for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) present a clear policy window for the two conventions to introduce a formal governance structure, such as the one proposed in this contribution, that brings together ideas, people, organizations and processes necessary for joining the dots on how to both stabilize our climate and recover our nature.

Biodiversity Offset Mechanisms and Compensation for Loss from Exceptional to Popular: Rediscovering Environmental Law

The use of compensatory mechanisms for biodiversity conservation, also known as biodiversity offsets, has increased significantly in recent decades. The Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework mentions them as an innovative scheme in support of substantially and progressively increasing the level of financial resources for biodiversity conservation. This article traces the origin of compensatory mechanisms in international environmental law and their development in transnational biodiversity governance. The article points to the shifts in the application of the biodiversity offsets: from the context of wetlands to other habitats and ecosystems; from its use in intergovernmental conventions to an increasing number of transnational (business) networks; and from an instrument of last resort to a source of additional funding for biodiversity conservation. In the evolution, compensatory mechanisms have been decoupled from their original purpose as an exceptional mitigation measure and a strong focus of environmental law on the preventive function. The increased rhetoric of commitment to no net loss, net gain, restoration, and the mitigation hierarchy has not been matched by an improved status of wetlands and other ecosystems. The processes within the biodiversity conventions (Ramsar and CBD) have accepted an ongoing destruction of nature and limited the role of environmental law to minimizing harmful impacts on nature and consolidating the decline, rather than shaping socio-ecological outcomes. An ambiguous position about the spread of compensatory mechanisms has been part and parcel of this; biodiversity conventions have neither endorsed nor distanced themselves from the application, promotion, and justification of compensatory mechanisms. To maintain the integrity of environmental law, the rules that prevent biodiversity loss need to be emphasised and enforced.

Status on management of access to genetic resources, traditional knowledge and benefit sharing

The management of access to genetic resources, traditional knowledge (TK), and benefit sharing among indigenous people and local communities in the worldwide is extensively addressed in international legal instruments, including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits (ABS) Arising from their Utilization. The CBD aims to promote the conservation of biological resources, the sustainable use of biodiversity components and the equitable, fair sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The Nagoya Protocol sets out core obligations for its contracting Parties to take measures in relation to ABS and compliance. In 2021, the Secretariats of the CBD released the first draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework with the mission for the period up to 2030, aiming towards the 2050 vision: “To take urgent action across society to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ensure the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of genetics resources, to put biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030 for the benefit of planet and people.” Therefore, capacity building and development for the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol are crucial, especially for developing countries. One of the most commonly identified new capacity building needs is digital sequence information on genetic resources and their roles in ABS. As a member of the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol, Vietnam has obligations to develop the National Strategy Framework on Biodiversity to 2030, with a vision to 2050, consistent with the requirements of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Protocols, and relevant Agreements. This includes developing recommendations on management of access to genetic resources and TK, as well as benefit sharing within the Draft of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. This research aims to contribute to implement the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and the Nagoya Protocol in Vietnam by assessing the status of management regarding access to genetic resources, TK, and benefit sharing.

A review on the work of German urban biodiversity networks – from national to international activities

This review analyses the development of three urban biodiversity networks in Germany since 1970. The first network “Biotope Mapping in Populated Areas” (BMPA) was founded by Herbert Sukopp (Berlin) and the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation in connection with the development of the first comprehensive urban ecology studies in Berlin. The aim was to establish standardized methods for the investigation of urban biodiversity, obtain comparable results on the national level, and exchange information for sustainable development and management in urban areas. From 1979 to 2005 this network held 21 meetings in different German cities and one meeting in Vienna. In 2005, the network merged with the “Competence Network Urban Ecology” (CONTUREC) aiming to link local research and activities both on urban biodiversity and urban ecology. From 2006 to 2011 CONTUREC organized several national conferences, published their results in its own book series, and sent out a newsletter with information to local projects and current international research. With financial support by the German Ministry of the Environment CONTUREC organized in 2008 in Erfurt the first international conference “Urban Biodiversity and Design”. The results were brought to the following up 9th Conference of the Parties (COP) within the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was held in Bonn (Germany) and underlined the urgent need to create an own Major Group for “Cities and Biodiversity”. On this occasion, the “International Network Urban Biodiversity and Design” (URBIO) was founded to promote urban biodiversity and design through a continuing dialogue with the CBD and their partners. This network was following CONTUREC and is organizing international conferences prior to the COP meetings and is exchanging over a newsletter and the website the state on urban biodiversity research and its application. To date, eight URBIO conferences and three URBIO workshops were held, and the results were published in a book and in special issues in international journals.This article describes the development and challenges to run the three different urban biodiversity networks. It gives suggestions for the future based on the experiences done so far.

A Review of the Conservation Status of Shorebirds in Mongolia

We present the first comprehensive review of 62 migratory shorebird species in Mongolia, covering their ecological status, IUCN assessments at regional or national levels, population trends, threats, and conservation measures. Mongolia hosts a total of 62 shorebird species from twenty-two genera and seven families, with six species classified as globally threatened: the Critically Endangered Sociable Lapwing, the Endangered Siberian Sandplover, the Far Eastern Curlew, the Great Knot, and the Vulnerable Sharp-Tailed Sandpiper. Both national and global IUCN Red List assessments highlight Mongolia’s significance as a breeding and passage migrating site for globally threatened and Near-Threatened shorebirds. Species richness is higher in northern regions compared to the south, with the highest diversity found in areas with complex aquatic ecosystems. Global population trends indicate a decline in 61% of species, with 18% remaining stable, 16% of unknown status, and 5% increasing. At the national level, most species are stable (61%), 34% status is unknown, and 5% are decreasing. Anthropogenic-induced threats, including habitat loss and degradation, pollution, disturbance, and harvesting, pose significant risks to 69% of species, while natural disasters affect 11%. Additionally, 8% of species are impacted by accidental mortality and intrinsic factors, and 5% by changes in native species. Despite these threats, no specific conservation action plans exist for shorebirds in Mongolia. However, general conservation measures are in place, such as environmental and fauna protection laws, regulations on foreign trade in endangered species, and the establishment of protected areas under governmental resolutions. Mongolia also participates in international conventions like the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ramsar, and Migratory Species (CMS), and has developed national red lists, red books, and publications such as “A Summary Conservation Action Plan for Mongolian Birds”, “Important Bird Areas” to support conservation efforts.

Conflicting Scientific Narratives at the Convention on Biological Diversity and Other Fora: Analysis and Contradiction in the Discussions on Dematerialization of (Plant) Genetic Resources

This article examines the use of scientific arguments in negotiations on the status of Digital Sequence Information (DSI), focusing on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework (PIP). DSI is a placeholder term used in negotiations on the dematerialization of genetic resources: the ability to sequence “physical” genetic resources and use this “intangible” information, which radically changes research practices. The CBD (among other instruments) establishes rules for Access to the Genetic Resource and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits from their utilization (ABS). This applies to “physical” genetic resources, but it is not clear for DSI. Indeed, different legal interpretations and political narrative are conflicting over the integration of DSI into these legal frameworks. This article explores how science is used in these negotiations, particularly in its rhetorical and epistocratic dimensions. The methodology combines an interdisciplinary approach (legal technique, philosophy of law and science) and a comparative discourse analysis: on the terminology; the inclusion of DSI in the definition of genetic material; and the inclusion of DSI in ABS systems. While scientific arguments play a crucial role in this technical issue, this article shows that scientific arguments can be used to support political positions (under the guise of objectivity and neutrality), and that this use of scientific arguments is not consistent, even contradictory (between PIP and CBD/ITPGRFA).

Biodiversity management challenges: A policy brief

Global biodiversity has been lost at an alarming rate in the past century leading to what is often described as ‘the sixth mass extinction'. Leading causes of this loss are chemical pollution, habitat loss, unsustainable use of resources, invasive species, and climate change. Such environmental change can alter ecosystem functions irreversibly, leading to a direct loss of ecosystem services, such as food provision, climate regulation, and cultural services, which are estimated to have a global value of tens of trillions of dollars. International governing bodies have repeatedly set targets to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services, especially within the framework of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Despite nation states’ pledges at the Rio Summit in 1992 to conserve biological diversity, progress has been lamentable. One reason for such failure is that action to redress biodiversity loss depends on national governments but it is of relatively low concern on the public agenda. This article reviews the UK and EU legal and policy biodiversity frameworks and exposes some of the complexities surrounding biodiversity loss, including non-compliance, public awareness, and valuation. Following a multidisciplinary roundtable on biodiversity in 2023, we suggest policy recommendations to overcome these issues.

Harmony in Biodiversity: Spearheading the Global Biodiversity Agenda through National Policy on Biological Diversity (NPBD) 2022-2030

In the heart of Malaysia's commitment to biodiversity conservation, lies a comprehensive strategy encapsulated in the National Policy on Biological Diversity (NPBD) 2022-2030. With five ambitious goals, the policy is a guiding light for the nation, steering stakeholders towards a future where the rich tapestry of ecosystems, species and genetic diversity flourishes. The correlation between this national policy and the global biodiversity framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is evident, providing a robust framework for sustainable development.

The social science side of marine biodiversity monitoring

Abstract Marine biodiversity monitoring is a complex task given the vast ocean areas to be covered, the types of data to be integrated, and the large number of possible parameters to consider when measuring biodiversity change. International agreements, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) or the recently adopted ‘BBNJ treaty’protecting biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), encourage states to monitor marine life both within and beyond their national waters to foster marine biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. While oceanographers in general, and marine biologists in particular, are aware of the challenges and complexities of measuring biodiversity in the ocean, the politics of marine biodiversity monitoring and the added value of social science perspectives tend to be neglected. This story from the frontline describes our experiences with turning marine biodiversity monitoring into an object of social science inquiry. The MARIPOLDATA project developed an innovative multi-sited approach to capture both the politics and practices of monitoring marine life. During our research, we were confronted with a diversity of perspectives and expectations of what monitoring is, how it works, why it should be done, and whom it should serve. By adopting a mixed-method approach and collecting data at different epistemic sites (negotiation rooms, scientific fields, laboratories, and conferences), we tried to cut through some of the observed ambiguities and trends. We conclude that studying monitoring necessitates a multidisciplinary approach and a sensitivity for the regional, institutional, and cultural specificities and inequalities that shape how we know and govern the ocean.

INTERNATIONAL LEGAL REGULATION OF SUSTAINABLE USE OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

The sustainable use of biological diversity is essential for maintaining the health of ecosystems and supporting human well-being. International legal frameworks play a crucial role in guiding and regulating activities related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. This article explores the key legal instruments and principles that govern the sustainable use of biological diversity, with a focus on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its associated protocols. It also highlights practical examples of how these frameworks are implemented at national and regional levels, including initiatives in Central Asian countries. The challenges and futuredirections in the international legal regulation of biodiversity are discussed, emphasizing the need for enhanced implementation, cooperation, and adaptation to emerging environmental issues. The article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the legal and practical aspects of sustainable use of biological diversity, contributing to a better understanding of its importance in global environmental governance.