UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies

The importance of the Territories for biodiversity and geodiversity

Globally threatened species

Globally/regionally important concentrations of species

In addition to numbers of globally threatened species, the Overseas Territories also hold regionally or globally important concentrations or assemblages of species.  For example, Ascension Island supports the second largest green turtle rookery in the Atlantic; Gough Island (Tristan da Cunha) has been described as, arguably, the most important seabird island in the world; and the reefs of the Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory) are some of the most pristine and best protected in the Indian Ocean (and account for some 1.3% of the world resource).  The importance to nature conservation of parts of the Territories is recognised through the designation of Gough Island & Inaccessible Islands (Tristan) and Henderson Island (Pitcairn) as World Heritage Sites for their insular natural heritage interests.

Crown Dependencies

• a range of species found in the Channel Islands whose range does not extend to mainland Britain;
• insular forms of some species (such as the Guernsey vole);
• populations of breeding birds (e.g. seabirds, chough and hen harrier on the Isle of Man);
• and for a range of marine and terrestrial habitats which are significant in a UK and regional context. 

Geomorphological features

There has been no overall review of the importance of the Territories to geodiversity but they contain geological and geomorphological features, such as active volcanoes, glaciers and coral reefs that are almost certainly significant in a regional or global context.

Threats to biodiversity

JNCC's role in supporting nature conservation in the Territories

• engage at a greater level with strategic cross-territory issues; and 
• seek direct involvement with in-Territory projects, especially where these have a broader application than to a single Territory alone, and/or which would have a wider applicability or contribute to capacity building.

Examples of recent JNCC activities in support of the Territories

The Environmental Economics with the Overseas Territories in the Caribbean (EEWOC) project developed a new environmental economics toolkit entitled “Valuing the Environment in small islands: An Environmental Economics Toolkit”. It has been published jointly by JNCC and the Overseas Territories Environment Programme (OTEP).  Although a large number of guides already exist on aspects of environmental valuation, none of these references specifically focus on the issues and needs of small islands. This toolkit was developed to address this gap. Its core aim is to provide a practical resource to meet the pressing needs of a group of pioneering stakeholders in the Overseas Territories of Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Montserrat, who will lead valuation studies but have no, or only limited, knowledge of environmental economics. In addition, the toolkit is designed to be of use to a wider audience of stakeholders in small islands around the world, who wish to learn about practical aspects of environmental valuation, but struggle to find a reference adapted to small island contexts.

 

 

Non-native species occurring in the Overseas Territories.

A review of non-native species was carried out in 2006. JNCC is following this up with a workshop on non-native species in the Overseas Territories in June 2007.

 

Biodiversity conservation priorities in the Overseas Territories

The Inter-departmental Ministerial group on Biodiversity (IDMGB) has asked JNCC to consult with the territories to produce a report of costed biodiversity priorities in the Overseas Territories.

 

Biodiversity research priorities

The Global Biodiversity the Global Biodiversity Sub Committee (GBSC) its last meeting requested information on biodiversity research priorities in the UK Overseas Territories. The GBSC is a sub committee of the UK Global Environmental Change Committee (GECC). GECC is an Inter-Agency Committee which provides a forum to coordinate UK involvement in the science and technology of climate change and other global environmental change, both nationally and internationally.  It reviews the effectiveness of the national capacity, capability and performance in these areas and makes recommendations, including identification of lead agencies. The terms of reference of the GBSC include “To identify significant gaps in scientific understanding of global biodiversity change and propose options for addressing them, including through collaborative programmes with EU and other international players.” Identifying research priorities in the UK Overseas Territories for this group will help to raise the profile of OT research needs. The group were keen on having the needs identified from the territories themselves, and JNCC was asked to lead on the consultations and feedback.

 

Support to the implementation of multi-lateral environmental agreements in the Overseas Territories for which UK involvement is primarily through our interests in the Territories.

This has included, in particular, input to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, the Indian Ocean – South-East Asian Marine Turtle Memorandum of Understanding, and the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol of the Cartagena Convention. 

JNCC also advises on other global agreements extended to the Territories

These include:

• the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES; we act as Scientific Authority to the British Indian Ocean Territory, and the Falkland Islands);
• the Convention on Biological Diversity;
• the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance;
• the Convention on Migratory Species;
• the World Heritage Convention; and,
• in the case of Gibraltar, European Community Directives.

Capacity building