278 Reia Anquet and Fabien Girard
and beyond (see examples in Delgado, 2016). While our study illustrates how
this script opens a new chapter in the history of the “[…] shift from the management of non-human nature to the management of people” (Roach et al.,
2006, p. 60; also see Bavington, 2002), we endeavour to show that it also
harbours new intellectual influences – first and foremost the “ethic of stewardship” – offering a promising potential to sustain IPLCs’ identities. Second,
the “small green entrepreneur” script holds a special position in biodiversity
conservation, as it dates from the early days of the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development (UNCED) and the CBD, and is still the
bedrock of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) as an
ample literature now illustrates.
13
Two interrelated master narratives support the small green entrepreneur
script: “sustainable development” and the “Grand Bargain”; they warrant
a few comments. Sustainable development, which is enshrined in the 1987
Brundtland Report (Brundtland & World Commission on Environment and
Development, 1987), means that conservation is based on utilisation, i.e. conservation cannot be separated from the idea of “economic and social development and poverty eradication” that are thought of as “the first and overriding
priorities of developing countries” (CBD, Preamble). As could be read in an
early draft version of the Rio Declaration outlining the headings to be included
in the text,
14 the aim is to preserve biodiversity while reaching “optimum sustainable yield” or “optimum sustainable productivity” (Robinson, 1992, p. ci),
what Ostrom will later coin as “long-term economic viability” (Ostrom, 1990,
p. 31). The concept of the “Grand Bargain” (Boisvert & Vivien, 2012) is seen as
the key to solve the conundrum of economic development within the confines
of the carrying capacity of ecosystems. The ABS process is conceived of as a
win/win situation (see Eisner, 1989)
15 : the “gene-poor” North retains its access
to the remarkable bounty of genetic resources mainly located in the tropics.
At the same time, the Global South captures part of the benefits arising out of
IPRs on “biodiscovery”. Or it can benefit directly as well from new (“environmentally sound”) technologies through “technology-for-nature swaps”.
16
In this, the Global South is deemed better equipped to tackle biodiversity erosion.
17 Of paramount importance in this model is the framing of ABS as a form
of inducement-producing policy – together with a blend of measures known
as institutional incentives (North, 1990) – to change how humans, understood
as rational agents, “interact with their environment and how they use natural
resources”.
18
In the next section of this chapter, we begin with an analysis of this script. We
then move on to study the “enemies of nature” and “premoderns” scripts. These
two scripts are never explicitly mentioned in the protocols but are still active as
background influence in the development of certain BCPs and against which
IPLCs are compelled to fight. Finally, we investigate the “stewardship of biodiversity” script. As this is the dominant script, we evaluate the BCPs according
to its inclusion.
and beyond (see examples in Delgado, 2016). While our study illustrates how
this script opens a new chapter in the history of the “[…] shift from the management of non-human nature to the management of people” (Roach et al.,
2006, p. 60; also see Bavington, 2002), we endeavour to show that it also
harbours new intellectual influences – first and foremost the “ethic of stewardship” – offering a promising potential to sustain IPLCs’ identities. Second,
the “small green entrepreneur” script holds a special position in biodiversity
conservation, as it dates from the early days of the United Nations Conference
on Environment and Development (UNCED) and the CBD, and is still the
bedrock of community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) as an
ample literature now illustrates.
13
Two interrelated master narratives support the small green entrepreneur
script: “sustainable development” and the “Grand Bargain”; they warrant
a few comments. Sustainable development, which is enshrined in the 1987
Brundtland Report (Brundtland & World Commission on Environment and
Development, 1987), means that conservation is based on utilisation, i.e. conservation cannot be separated from the idea of “economic and social development and poverty eradication” that are thought of as “the first and overriding
priorities of developing countries” (CBD, Preamble). As could be read in an
early draft version of the Rio Declaration outlining the headings to be included
in the text,
14 the aim is to preserve biodiversity while reaching “optimum sustainable yield” or “optimum sustainable productivity” (Robinson, 1992, p. ci),
what Ostrom will later coin as “long-term economic viability” (Ostrom, 1990,
p. 31). The concept of the “Grand Bargain” (Boisvert & Vivien, 2012) is seen as
the key to solve the conundrum of economic development within the confines
of the carrying capacity of ecosystems. The ABS process is conceived of as a
win/win situation (see Eisner, 1989)
15 : the “gene-poor” North retains its access
to the remarkable bounty of genetic resources mainly located in the tropics.
At the same time, the Global South captures part of the benefits arising out of
IPRs on “biodiscovery”. Or it can benefit directly as well from new (“environmentally sound”) technologies through “technology-for-nature swaps”.
16
In this, the Global South is deemed better equipped to tackle biodiversity erosion.
17 Of paramount importance in this model is the framing of ABS as a form
of inducement-producing policy – together with a blend of measures known
as institutional incentives (North, 1990) – to change how humans, understood
as rational agents, “interact with their environment and how they use natural
resources”.
18
In the next section of this chapter, we begin with an analysis of this script. We
then move on to study the “enemies of nature” and “premoderns” scripts. These
two scripts are never explicitly mentioned in the protocols but are still active as
background influence in the development of certain BCPs and against which
IPLCs are compelled to fight. Finally, we investigate the “stewardship of biodiversity” script. As this is the dominant script, we evaluate the BCPs according
to its inclusion.