Taxonomy: Classifying living things

Taxonomists have been responsible for describing and naming the approximately 1.7 million species known to date. The ability to identify organisms is fundamental to their management. Taxonomy is a tool of fundamental importance to meeting the whole spectrum of humankind's daily needs: production of food, fuel and fibre, maintenance of human, plant and animal health, and in general assuring a safe and sustainable environment to live in and the future well-being of people and the biodiversity on which we are totally dependent.

In view of this, taxonomy should not only be appreciated and recognised as a critically necessary resource, but it should also be available to all in need of it worldwide.

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However, taxonomy's importance passes largely unnoticed and, whilst the majority of the world's population and the earth's biodiversity are to be found in the developing world, some 95 per cent of the world's taxonomic skills and resources reside in the developed world.

The inadequacy of taxonomic skills and resources in the developing world places in jeopardy not only the people of developing countries, but also the crops, livestock and genetic material upon which the region and developed world is also increasingly dependent.

A South Asian Conference was recently held in Dhaka to discuss a proposal for the establishment and operation of a South Asian loop of Bio NET-International known as Sac NET. The workshop was organised in conjunction with the Third Global Biodiversity Forum South Asia and with the financial support of the Commonwealth Science Council, Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The workshop was attended by participants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka (Afghanistan and Nepal were unable to send representatives) and representatives from among others, Bio NET, UK and the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat, Montreal, Canada.

The goals of the workshop included the possibility of taxonomic capacity building in South Asia; developing a shared vision for pooling, sharing and optimising regional expertise, information, records, collections, infrastructure and technologies for the further enhancement of taxonomic capacity in the region; agreeing on how to best strengthen capacity building, between member countries and their relevant institutions.

The participants presented national reports on the current status of taxonomic resources in each country, identifying national priorities for capacity building and also pointed out the need to optimise the use of taxonomic resources and expertise through pooling and sharing of national taxonomic capacity and infrastructures including material and manpower resources. The workshop participants also unanimously recommended IUCN Regional Biodiversity Programme Asia, to be the Network Coordinating Institute (NECI).

At the conclusion of the meeting, the workshop proposed the following recommendations:

- that they accord proper recognition to the fundamental importance of sound taxonomic capacity and services in their implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, within National Development Strategies;

- that they allocate adequate financial and manpower resources and infrastructure to their existing taxonomic centres, and

- that they approve the establishment and sustenance of a structure designed to enable achievement of South Asian self-sufficiency in the taxonomic services that are needed to support national development programmes and the meeting of national obligations.

The meeting also suggested most importantly that developed countries support the activities and programmes of the LOOP by establishing strategic alliances to share taxonomic expertise and resources so that South Asian countries can achieve taxonomic self-sufficiency and self-reliance.

I am writing this week about taxonomy in view of the critical and significant importance it has for our nation. With globalisation there are ever-greater movements of people and commodities. The growing frequency of such movements is rapidly spreading associated organisms, particularly pests and diseases, into new countries. It is in view of this that there is now a need to identify and monitor genetically modified organisms (GMOs), necessitating specific strain identification at morphological and molecular levels. The quickest and most cost effective solution to this problem is effective quarantine enforcement including "safe origin" requirements, which is only possible through prompt and accurate identification of the organisms involved at the points of exit and entry.

Implementation of a number of international conventions and agreements -- such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Global Plan of Action (GPA) for the Conservation and Sustainable use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) and the Cartegena (Biosafety) Protocol -- is greatly hindered by the inability of countries to access adequate taxonomic capacity.

In particular, parties to the CBD have recognised that implementation of the Convention is being significantly constrained by the lack of capacity in developing countries -- the so-called 'Taxonomic Impediment.' Under the CBD the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI) is explicitly addressing this need for taxonomic capacity building.

One must not forget that the South Asian region has abundant natural resources and wealth of biodiversity. South Asian countries, being conscious of their unique, rich but fragile natural inheritance have long been prominent contributors to the world's environmental conservation initiatives, as evidenced by their ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity and commitments to Agenda 21. There is deep common concern throughout the region over environmental sustainability and particularly over issues that sound taxonomic services can help to mitigate, such as pesticide pollution from agricultural activities, pollution caused by industrial development, identification, control and eradication of alien invasive species, e.g. agricultural pests and in ballast water, and the irreversible loss of genetic resources through ongoing habitat destruction.

I believe that the capacities for assessment, study and systematic observation and evaluation of biodiversity need to be reinforced at both national and sub-regional levels. A national and sub-regional initiative supported by international cooperation as undertaken in Dhaka will hence effectively assist the in situ protection of the ecosystems and the ex situ conservation of biological and genetic resources.

One must remember that the poorer countries and their inhabitants are also capable of investing in environmental improvement. They can also mobilise resources for enhancing the environment. Numerous experiences have demonstrated that when incentives are favourable, low-income social groups can put together resources, particularly labour. There are many well-documented cases of poor people investing their own time and resources in environmental management.

Now is the time for the people of this region to come together and achieve also in the field of taxonomy. While doing so however, we should be careful to meet our needs within the region on a cost-effective basis without too much reliance on expensive institutions in the North. This, in all probability will enable national policy implementation needs to be met locally and in the most appropriate manner. It will also enable improved dialogue and understanding between peoples of the region using traditional knowledge and nomenclature and scientists and managers using formal names, in the context of protected areas and of traditional use of biodiversity.

Muhammad Zamir is a former Secretary and Ambassador.