There is no human life without regulations. In general, regulations are concepts of
management according to rules of legal restrictions and private or public initiatives
and investments. For example, European legislation has implemented the largest
network of protected areas in the world. However, despite this regulation (Habitats
Directive), it has not been possible to curb the declining quantity and quality of
diverse habitat types, nor to stem the increasing number of threatened species in
Europe.
Payments in favour of the environment might be adequate. Direct investments
have different advantages compared to legal restrictions. For example, they can be
used to directly influence population dynamics, food webs, and the range of certain
habitat types. Furthermore, relevant programmes can be established in a relatively
short time, when money is available; on the other hand, it is also equally possible to
cancel such contracts in a relatively short time. With respect to the failure of various
species conservation programmes, the relationship between legal restrictions and
direct initiatives/investments should be repeatedly re-evaluated, with the aim of
higher efficacy. We here call programmes and measures as effective and successful
if they guarantee the survival of the target threatened species or habitat.
With respect to current assessments, it can be assumed that both (1) the amount of
public and private money invested in nature conservation, together with (2) the
myriad of current conservation activities will increase in the future, i.e. the number
of protected areas; restoration programmes; activities in zoos and botanical gardens;
captive breeding programmes and the release of rare species back into the wild.
However, because of political unpredictability, it is questionable if other tendencies
such as an increase in the illegal trade of endangered species and natural products
can be limited by stronger regulation and control, or if other measures such as
education programmes might be more effective.
5 Risks, Realistic Visions and Outlook
The heuristics that whatever succeeds for the finite, also succeeds for the infinite has
been called the Law of Continuity. The probability of something being successful in
the future increases if it was successful in the past, and or it is successful at present.
The probability of protecting all species on Earth, however, is low, given the rate at
which human pressure on global biodiversity is increasing.
Those specific nature conservation planning and management operations that
already exist should be empowered and made more effective. Furthermore, the
cooperation of politicians, lawyers, economists, farmers, foresters, ecologists, and
pedagogues using technological solutions, capital expenditure, media, fantasy, creativity, trial and error should also be intensified, for long-term considerations of
success.
Every environmental problem may be considered in respect to spatial scale.
Environmental problems might have a global dimension—such as carbon in the
atmosphere; others are related to challenges at regional or local scales—such as risks
468
C. Hobohm et al.
management according to rules of legal restrictions and private or public initiatives
and investments. For example, European legislation has implemented the largest
network of protected areas in the world. However, despite this regulation (Habitats
Directive), it has not been possible to curb the declining quantity and quality of
diverse habitat types, nor to stem the increasing number of threatened species in
Europe.
Payments in favour of the environment might be adequate. Direct investments
have different advantages compared to legal restrictions. For example, they can be
used to directly influence population dynamics, food webs, and the range of certain
habitat types. Furthermore, relevant programmes can be established in a relatively
short time, when money is available; on the other hand, it is also equally possible to
cancel such contracts in a relatively short time. With respect to the failure of various
species conservation programmes, the relationship between legal restrictions and
direct initiatives/investments should be repeatedly re-evaluated, with the aim of
higher efficacy. We here call programmes and measures as effective and successful
if they guarantee the survival of the target threatened species or habitat.
With respect to current assessments, it can be assumed that both (1) the amount of
public and private money invested in nature conservation, together with (2) the
myriad of current conservation activities will increase in the future, i.e. the number
of protected areas; restoration programmes; activities in zoos and botanical gardens;
captive breeding programmes and the release of rare species back into the wild.
However, because of political unpredictability, it is questionable if other tendencies
such as an increase in the illegal trade of endangered species and natural products
can be limited by stronger regulation and control, or if other measures such as
education programmes might be more effective.
5 Risks, Realistic Visions and Outlook
The heuristics that whatever succeeds for the finite, also succeeds for the infinite has
been called the Law of Continuity. The probability of something being successful in
the future increases if it was successful in the past, and or it is successful at present.
The probability of protecting all species on Earth, however, is low, given the rate at
which human pressure on global biodiversity is increasing.
Those specific nature conservation planning and management operations that
already exist should be empowered and made more effective. Furthermore, the
cooperation of politicians, lawyers, economists, farmers, foresters, ecologists, and
pedagogues using technological solutions, capital expenditure, media, fantasy, creativity, trial and error should also be intensified, for long-term considerations of
success.
Every environmental problem may be considered in respect to spatial scale.
Environmental problems might have a global dimension—such as carbon in the
atmosphere; others are related to challenges at regional or local scales—such as risks
468
C. Hobohm et al.