The Ecosystem Approach is considered one of the most important principles of sustainable environmental management.
The Fifth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity defined the Ecosystem Approach in Decision V/6, Annex A, section 1 as ‘a strategy for the integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way’
Essentially it requires the taking into consideration of the effects of actions on every element of an ecosystem, based on the recognition that all elements of an ecosystem are linked.
Contents |
The ecosystems approach is intended to tackle not just climate change mitigation and adaptation, but also poverty alleviation, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity loss and many other environmental issues [1].