Globalisation, Ecosystem Services and Human Wellbeing

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Globalisation, Ecosystem Services and Human
Well-being

• UNEP 5 October 2006

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Why Globalization

• It is not a new concept or phenomena
• But what's new of post-industrialization
  Globalization is
• The speed and breadth
• The intensity and the magnitude of its impacts

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Post Industrial Globalization

• Multi-dimensional economic, cultural,
  ecological, political, and knowledge (technology)
• It is inevitable
• Impacts ecosystem services (E.g. water
  regulation, climate regulation, carbon
  sequestration) and human well being (E.g. health,
  human rights, exclusion, vulnerability, material
  wealth, social relations, ) all over the world
• Challenges and opportunities

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Why Globalization at UNEP?

• ECOSYSTEM SERVICES DECLINE
• 60 ES degraded or used unsustainably
• 25 of global fresh water use exceeds accessible
  supplies
• Accelerated human caused species extinction
  (1000x)

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Ecosystem services and human well being
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Environmental risks from Globalization

• Trade Related Risks
• Migration Related Risks
• Technology Related Risks
• Culture Related Risk

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Environmental opportunities from Globalization

• Improved technology
• Development of substitutes to ecosystem services
• International environmental governance and
  international collaboration

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Environmental opportunities

• Market based instruments and economics
• Trade and business opportunities
• Greater participation and democratic processes

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UNEP activities

• UNEP-UNCTAD Capacity Building Task Force on
  Trade, Environment and Development
• Finance initiative
• Poverty and environment
• Valuation of ecosystem services
• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
• Global Environment Outlook
• Background document for the Ministerial session
  at GC 24

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Policy issues

• How to maximize the net impact of globalisation
  on ecosystem services and human well-being ? What
  are the trade-offs?
• What forms of international governance and
  institutional structures are needed for ensuring
  the equity and fairness of globalization?

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Policy issues

• How to promote environmentally friendly
  investments and leadership by private
  corporations?
• What role for environmental legislation,
  regulation and enforcement ?
• What role for the UN and UNEP ?