Table Of ContentBiodiversity Conservation in Latin
America and the Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region is exceptionally biodiverse. It contains about
half of the world’s remaining tropical forests, nearly one-fi fth of its coastal habitats, and
some of its most productive agricultural and marine areas. But agriculture, fi shing, and other
human activities linked to rapid population and economic growth increasingly threaten that
biodiversity. Moreover, poverty, weak regulatory capacity, and limited political will hamper
conservation.
Given this dilemma, it is critically important to design conservation strategies on the
basis of the best available information about both biodiversity and the track records of the
various policies that have been used to protect it. This rigorously researched book describes
the status of biodiversity in LAC, the main threats to this biodiversity, and the drivers
of these threats. It identifi es the main policies being used to conserve biodiversity and
assesses their effectiveness and potential for further implementation.
I t proposes fi ve specifi c lines of practical action for conserving LAC biodiversity, based
on: green agriculture; strengthening terrestrial protected areas and co-management; improv-
ing environmental governance; strengthening coastal and marine resource management; and
improving biodiversity data and policy evaluation.
Allen Blackman is Thomas Klutznick Senior Fellow at Resources for the Future, USA.
Rebecca Epanchin-Niell is Fellow at Resources for the Future, USA.
Juha Siikamäki is Associate Research Director and Fellow at Resources for the Future,
USA.
Daniel Velez-Lopez is a PhD student in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of
Government and former Research Assistant at Resources for the Future, USA.
About Resources for the Future and RFF Press
Resources for the Future (RFF) improves environmental and natural resource policymak-
ing worldwide through independent social science research of the highest caliber. Founded
in 1952, RFF pioneered the application of economics as a tool for developing more effective
policy about the use and conservation of natural resources. Its scholars continue to employ
social science methods to analyze critical issues concerning pollution control, energy policy,
land and water use, hazardous waste, climate change, biodiversity, and the environmental
challenges of developing countries.
RFF Press supports the mission of RFF by publishing book-length works that present a
broad range of approaches to the study of natural resources and the environment. Its authors
and editors include RFF staff, researchers from the larger academic and policy communities,
and journalists. Audiences for publications by RFF Press include all of the participants in the
policymaking process—scholars, the media, advocacy groups, NGOs, professionals in busi-
ness and government, and the public.
Resources for the Future
Board of Directors
Board Leadership
W. Bowman Cutter Chair
John M. Deutch Vice Chair
Frank E. Loy Vice Chair
Lawrence H. Linden Treasurer
Philip R. Sharp President
Board Members
Vicky A. Bailey
Anthony Bernhardt
Trudy Ann Cameron
Red Cavaney
Mohamed T. El-Ashry
Linda J. Fisher
C. Boyden Gray
David Hawkins
Rick Holley
Peter R. Kagan
Sally Katzen
Rubén Kraiem
Bob Litterman
Richard G. Newell
Henry Schacht
Richard Schmalensee
Lisa A. Stewart
Joseph Stiglitz
Mark R. Tercek
Chair Emeriti
Darius W. Gaskins, Jr.
Robert E. Grady
Editorial Advisers for RFF Press
Walter A. Rosenbaum, University of Florida
Jeffrey K. Stine, Smithsonian Institution
“At last: the handbook on biodiversity conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean
we all have needed... with all the considerations necessary for best practice choices... a
revolutionary contribution.”
– Tom Lovejoy, University Professor, George Mason University and
Senior Fellow, United Nations Foundation.
“A great addition to literature, this book starts by describing LAC biodiversity’s status and
progresses to a critical study of the main conservation policies. It is here that the book excels
becoming a fascinating read for those involved in the fi eld and a compulsory one from the
management and education perspective.”
– Francisco Alpízar, Founder, Latin American and Caribbean Environmental
Economics Program (LACEEP), Director, Economics and
Environment for Development (EfD-CATIE) and Associate Professor,
Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg.
“This book has been instrumental in setting new directions for conservation investments at
the Interamerican Development Bank and provides the foundation for more effective policy
in the future.”
– Michele Lemay, Natural Resources Lead Specialist,
Inter-American Development Bank.
“This book provides a wealth of data and information, a clear-eyed assessment of the
challenges to biodiversity conservation in the region, and a valuable framework for prioritizing
policies. It makes it clear that mainstreaming biodiversity will require a continuous and
coherent process in which early and well planned commitments will reduce overall costs.”
– Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Vice President, Conservation International
and Former Minister of Environment, Costa Rica.
Biodiversity Conservation
in Latin America and the
Caribbean
Prioritizing policies
Allen Blackman, Rebecca
Epanchin-Niell, Juha Siikamäki,
and Daniel Velez-Lopez
First published 2014
by RFF Press
Taylor & Francis, 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by
RFF Press
Routledge, 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
RFF Press is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa
business
© 2014 Allen Blackman, Rebecca Epanchin-Niell, Juha Siikamäki, and
Daniel Velez-Lopez
The right of Allen Blackman, Rebecca Epanchin-Niell, Juha Siikamäki,
and Daniel Velez-Lopez to be identifi ed as authors of this work has been
asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publishers.
Trademark notice : Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identifi cation and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Biodiversity conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean : prioritizing
policies / Allen Blackman, Rebecca Epanchin-Niell, Juha Siikamaki,
[editors].
pages cm. – (Environment for development)
1. Biodiversity conservation–Latin America. 2. Biodiversity
conservation–Caribbean Area. 3. Environmental policy–Latin America.
4. Environmental policy–Caribbean Area. 5. Latin America–Environmental
conditions. 6. Caribbean Area–Environmental conditions. I. Blackman,
Allen.
QH77.L25B59 2014
333.95’1609729–dc23
2013042508
ISBN: 978-0-415-73096-9 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-84843-3 (ebk)
Typeset in Times New Roman
by Cenveo Publisher Services
Abbreviated contents
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Objectives 2
1.3 Methods 2
1.4 Organization 3
2 Status and trends 4
2.1 Terrestrial and freshwater systems 4
2.2 Coastal and marine systems 18
3 Policies 27
A Regulatory and comanagement 27
3.1 Terrestrial protected areas 27
3.2 Forest comanagement 33
3.3 Land-use planning 36
3.4 Fisheries management 39
3.5 Wastewater treatment 43
3.6 Environmental governance 45
B Market-based approaches 49
3.7 Subsidy reform 49
3.8 Payments for environmental services 54
3.9 Eco-certifi cation 58
3.10 Ecotourism 59
3.11 Bioprospecting 61
3.12 Mitigation offsets and banking 62
C Other 66
3.13 National environmental accounting 66
3.14 Corporate social responsibility 68
3.15 Greening agriculture 72
3.16 Targeting, data, and evaluation 75
3.17 Reduced emissions from deforestation and degredation 77
viii Abbreviated contents
4 Lines of action 85
4.1 Green agriculture 86
4.2 Strengthen terrestrial protected areas and comanagement 89
4.3 Improve environmental governance 91
4.4 Strengthen coastal and marine resource management 94
4.5 Improve biodiversity data and policy evaluation 96
4.6 Policies omitted from lines of action 98
5 Latin America and Caribbean biodiversity actors 100
Appendices 101
References 130
Index 154
Contents
List of illustrations xiv
About the authors xvi
Acknowledgments xvii
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Objectives 2
1.3 Methods 2
1.4 Organization 3
2 Status and trends 4
2.1 Terrestrial and freshwater systems 4
2.1.1 Biophysical environment 4
2.1.2 Status and trends 3
2.1.2.1 Species richness and overall threat levels 5
2.1.2.2 Terrestrial ecosystems 6
2.1.2.3 Freshwater ecosystems 8
2.1.3 Threats 9
2.1.3.1 IUCN Red List data 9
2.1.3.2 Habitat loss and degradation 10
2.1.3.3 Invasive species 15
2.1.3.4 Climate change 16
2.1.3.5 Overexploitation 17
2.1.3.6 Pollution 18
2.2 Coastal and marine systems 18
2.2.1 Biophysical environment 18
2.2.2 Status and trends 19
2.2.2.1 Species richness 19
2.2.2.2 Coastal ecosystems 20
2.2.3 Threats 21
2.2.3.1 Habitat loss and degradation 22
2.2.3.2 Pollution 22
