According to Norman Myers, co-winner in 1995 of the UNEP Environment Prize, in the short term this will consist in the homogenization of biotas. a proliferation of opportunist species, an outburst of speciation among particular taxa , and a pest and weed ecology; and in the long term depletion of "evolutionary powerhouse' in the tropics, a decline of biodisparity, the elimination of mega vertebrates, an end to speciation among large vertebrates, and multiple constraints on origination, innovation and adaptive radiation.
The ethical implications are overwhelming: Norman Myers affirmed that as the recovery period could extend at least five million years, we are now in fact imposing a decision on behalf of 500 trillion people. This decision must rank as the most far reaching decision on behalf of such number of people ever made during the entire course of human history.
Only 10% of the existing species are known and classified We know even less about their distribution and
still less about their interactions.
Indeed, " like children playing with fire, we do not fully understand, and therefore cannot predict, the ultimate consequences of tampering with global biodiversity" [3].
"Conscious of the importance of biological diversity for evolution and for maintaining life sustaining systems of the biosphere;
Concerned that biological diversity is being significantly reduced by certain human activities.
Aware of the general lack of information and knowledge regarding biological diversity and of the urgent need to develop scientific, technical and institutional capacities to provide the basic understanding upon which to plan and implement appropriate measures."
The Ministers of Environment at the First Global Ministerial Environment Forum, held in Malmö, Sweden on May 2000 were
"Deeply concerned that, despite the many successful and continuing efforts of the international community , the environment and the natural resource base that supports life on Earth continue to deteriorate at an alarming rate, conscious that the root causes of global environmental degradation are embedded in social and economic problems such as pervasive poverty, unsustainable production and consumption patterns, inequity in distribution of wealth, and the debt burden, and also conscious that success in combating environmental degradation is dependent on the full participation of all actors in society, an aware and educated population, respect for ethical and spiritual values and cultural diversity, and protection of indigenous knowledge"
" the close and traditional dependence of many indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles on biological resources, and the desirability of sharing equitably benefits arising from the use of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices relevant to the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components"
The Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biodiversity says that each contracting party shall
" respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge, innovations and practices ".
In the last two years the governments of the world who signed the Convention on Biodiversity have recognized that the lack of trained taxonomists or what has been termed the "Taxonomic Impediment" is hampering the seriopu attempts to deal with the biodiversity crisis. To address the Taxonomic Impediment a Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) has been launched in 1996. The following indications given by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) could help to alleviate the Taxonomic Impediment.
"Traditional and indigenous knowledge perspectives should be included on current taxonomic systems. Specialist knowledge holders, such as herbalists, within communities, should play a role, as should everyday users, with a range of monitoring techniques employed suitable for their skills and interests. While monitoring systems may often be lead by agencies, such as park, forestry and agricultural agencies, they should work collaboratively with communities, and new monitoring systems lead by local communities must be accelerated if we are to succeed in our objectives. Monitoring systems, especially involving local communities, should be based on integrating local taxonomic systems with western scientific understanding, nomenclature and units of measurement. Local taxonomic systems need to be translated into western scientific taxonomy to gain access to wider bodies of knowledge about species. The GTI should encourage day-to-day monitoring by local communities with support from agencies and specialist scientists, such as expert ornithologists or botanists. All groups involved in monitoring should have access to scientific systems of identification and information, which need to be orientated to their practical requirements " [4]