Introduction
Climate goals and biodiversity protection are two pivotal issues of concern in the global arena. They demand an urgent balancing act to ensure a sustainable future. A recent study titled “Balancing Climate Goals and Biodiversity Protection: Legal Implications of the 30×30 Target for Land-Based Carbon Removal” brings to light the potential conflicts between these two aspects, by examining the implications of land-based Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) strategies within the context of international environmental law.
Limited Land Availability: The Crux of the Dilemma
The limitation in land availability poses a significant challenge in reconciling biodiversity targets with land-based climate mitigation strategies. As countries pledge significant portions of their land for CDR activities, it creates a dilemma for establishing protected areas due to the scarcity of available land.
Global Targets versus Current Status
Countries have committed to the “30×30” biodiversity target to safeguard 30% of the world’s terrestrial and marine areas by 2030. Despite these commitments, protected areas cover only 16% of terrestrial regions and 8% of marine areas as of 2023, a far cry from the ambitious 30×30 goal.
Land Use and Conflict
Some land-based mitigation strategies clash with the need to establish more protected areas due to land use limitations. Large-scale CDR could potentially lead to further biodiversity loss and create competition for agricultural lands.
Insufficiency of Targets
Even though the 30×30 target is ambitious, researchers estimate that 44% of global land should be under protected areas to effectively conserve biodiversity. Furthermore, relying solely on CDR activities may not suffice to fulfill the Paris Agreement’s goals of limiting global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius.
Challenges in Implementation
Implementing these strategies raises questions on how countries can allocate additional land for protected areas, expand food production and simultaneously implement CDR strategies. Striking a balance among these objectives is indeed a formidable challenge.
Legal Perspectives
Current international environmental law does not stop the application of CDR techniques alongside protected areas on the same land parcels. Even though some land-based CDR approaches could aid biodiversity, this legal loophole needs to be addressed.
Recommendations: A Way Forward
The study recommends focusing on CDR policies that absorb greenhouse gases efficiently while also protecting biodiversity. There is an immediate need to mitigate climate change as it poses a greater threat to biodiversity than other concerns.
Understanding Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)
CDR refers to technologies, practices, and strategies aimed at removing and durably storing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. It is a key method to counteract global warming due to anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide.
UPSC Civil Services Examination: Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
These questions are examples of how topics like climate change and carbon sequestration are often tested in civil services examinations. They reinforce the importance of understanding the interplay between various factors such as climate mitigation techniques, biodiversity protection, and their legal implications.