Law-ref.org The Framework Convention on Climate Change
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ecosystem [Global Index]


... Concerned that human activities have been substantially increasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, that these increases enhance the natural greenhouse effect, and that this will result on average in an additional warming of the Earth's surface and atmosphere and may adversely affect natural ecosystems and humankind, ...
... Aware of the role and importance in terrestrial and marine ecosystems of sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, ...
... Recognizing further that low-lying and other small island countries, countries with low-lying coastal, arid and semi-arid areas or areas liable to floods, drought and desertification, and developing countries with fragile mountainous ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, ...


ARTICLE-1: DEFINITIONS*     [go to this ARTICLE]
... 1. "Adverse effects of climate change" means changes in the physical environment or biota resulting from climate change which have significant deleterious effects on the composition, resilience or productivity of natural and managed ecosystems or on the operation of socio-economic systems or on human health and welfare. ...


ARTICLE-2: OBJECTIVE     [go to this ARTICLE]
... The ultimate objective of this Convention and any related legal instruments that the Conference of the Parties may adopt is to achieve, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Such a level should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. ...


ARTICLE-4: COMMITMENTS     [go to this ARTICLE]
... (d) Promote sustainable management, and promote and cooperate in the conservation and enhancement, as appropriate, of sinks and reservoirs of all greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol, including biomass, forests and oceans as well as other terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems; ...
... (g) Countries with areas with fragile ecosystems, including mountainous ecosystems; ...
... (g) Countries with areas with fragile ecosystems, including mountainous ecosystems; ...