tailieunhanh - A New Ecology - Systems Perspective - Chapter 1

1 Introduction: A new ecology is needed ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT HAS CHANGED The political agenda imposed on ecologists and environmental managers has changed since the early 1990s. Since the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 the focus has been on sustainability | 3 31 2007 08 36 Page 1 1 Introduction A new ecology is needed ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT HAS CHANGED The political agenda imposed on ecologists and environmental managers has changed since the early 1990s. Since the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 the focus has been on sustainability which inevitably has made ecosystem functioning a core issue. Sustainability Development is according to the Rio Declaration defined as follows development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. And the contrasting parties are invited to act in a way that is economically profitable socially acceptable and environmentally compatible. Already the Rio Declaration emphasized the importance of ecosystems in Principle 7 States shall cooperate in a spirit of global partnership to conserve protect and restore the health and integrity of the Earth s ecosystems. In view of the different contributions to global environmental degradation states have common but differentiated responsibilities. The developed countries acknowledge the responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit of sustainable development in view of the pressures their societies place on the global environment and of the technologies and financial resources they command. The Convention of Biodiversity adopted in 2000 12 principles called the Ecosystem Approach that placed the ecosystem concept even more centrally into environmental management considerations. It is particularly clear from the last 10 of the 12 principles 1 The objectives of management of land water and living resources are a matter of societal choice. 2 Management should be decentralized to the lowest appropriate level. 3 Ecosystem managers should consider the effects actual or potential of their activities on adjacent and other ecosystems. 4 Recognizing potential gains from management there is usually a need to understand and manage the ecosystem in