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Programme: Sunday, September 19th Perspectives on Biodiversity - The Values of Ecosystem Services Biodiversity. Ecosystem services. These words encompass all that makes life on Earth possible…at least from the perspective of humans. What do they mean? The Convention on Biological Diversity defines biological diversity as "the variability among living organisms from all sources, including…terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part. This includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems." This plenary presented the range of meanings for each of the panelists. From biological to sociological, the six speakers presented their representative views on the values of ecosystem services—which are categorised as provisioning, supporting, regulating, and cultural services—that biodiversity provides. Watch the videos from this session: pt.1 - pt.2 - pt.3 - pt.4 - pt.5 - pt.6 View the slides from this plenary session:
11:00 – 12:15 Payments for Environmental Services: A Solution for Greener Farming? Modern agriculture has yielded tremendous increases in agricultural productivity, but these gains have often led to unintended social and environmental consequences. While the marketplace rewards the production of agricultural commodities like crops, livestock, fish and fibre, this production is often at the expense of ecological services such as carbon sequestration, watershed protection, biodiversity and pollination. On one side, we all benefit from careful ecological farm practices. On the other, farmers must earn their livelihoods. In this context, could payments for environmental services provide a solution towards a more sustainable agriculture by compensating farmers for protecting water, land and biological resources without sacrificing their production of quality food? View the slides from this panel presentation:
The Oil Sands, the Boreal Forest & Biodiversity from an Aboriginal Perspective There’s no denying that oil sands development is having a tremendous impact on biodiversity in Western Canada. These rapid changes – to the land, the air, the water and the wildlife – are affecting Aboriginal peoples more than any other community in the country. The aim of this panel was to give voice to the concerns and first-hand experiences of Aboriginals communities affected by the oil sands. Panellists discussed the impacts of industrial operations on biodiversity, the boreal forest and traditional ways of life, and offered solutions to bring peace to these environments and the people who live there. Watch the videos from this session: pt.1 - pt.2 - pt.3 View the slides from this panel presentation:
13:15 – 14:15 Nature Deficit Disorder Watch the videos from this workshop: pt.1 - pt.2 - pt.3 Nature Deficit Disorder is a term coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods. It refers to the alarming trend that children are spending less time outdoors, resulting in a wide range of physical and behavioural problems such as obesity, diabetes, depression and attention deficit disorder. This phenomenon, which is increasing proportionally to rapid global urbanization, underlines the importance of contact with nature for healthy child development; contributing to better health, better performance in school, greater self-esteem and a nourishing connection to the natural world. But how big is this problem really, how severe are the consequences and what can we do about it? Briefing on the Convention on Biological Diversity This workshop explored the background and current status of the 2010-2020 Strategic Plan for the Convention on Biological Diversity, which will be discussed and approved at an international meeting of countries in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. Sustainable Consumption and Production What would it take to create a sustainable economy and society? It seems like we are often fighting brush fires, but how do we get to transformative change that addresses the root causes of unsustainability? This workshop explored sustainable consumption and production as an organizing concept and holistic lens whose essence is to catalyze large-scale systemic change, both in Canada and globally. View the slides from this workshop:
14:30 – 16:30 Visions of the Saint Lawrence in 2021 The St. Lawrence River is one of the most important ecosystems in eastern Canada. The environmental, economic, social, and cultural benefits the river and its watershed have provided to the region's inhabitants -- for centuries, and still today -- are due to the incredible biodiversity of the St. Lawrence River Valley ecosystem. Speakers at this plenary discussed some of the important ecosystem services provided by the St. Lawrence, current threats to its biodiversity, and possible solutions for the next 10 years - with a special focus on the moratorium on oil and gas exploration in the St. Lawrence. Watch the videos from this session: pt.1 - pt.1.1 - pt.2 - pt.3 - pt.4 View the slides from this plenary (in French):
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