NRS 407 Exam 1 actual questions and
CORRECT answers
1. Who produced the GBO report, what was their objective, and how does the report intended
to accomplish their objective? - CORRECT ANSWER a. Conservation on Biological
Diversity, United Nations,UNEP
b. Main goal: conservation of biological diversity at global scale
c. To accomplish goal, focuses on...
i. sustainable use of natural resources
ii. "fair and equitable sharing of benefits" arising from use
iii. sets targets
iv. monitors progress
v. GBO focuses on poverty alleviation and equitable distribution of resources as a goal to be
simultaneously addressed.
vi. "Meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets would contribute significantly to broader global
priorities addressed by the post-2015 development agenda; namely, reducing hunger and
poverty, improving human health, and ensuring a sustainable supply of energy, food and
clean water. Incorporating biodiversity into the sustainable development goals, currently
under discussion, provides an opportunity to bring biodiversity into the mainstream of
decision making."
a. Awareness of biodiversity - CORRECT ANSWER i. Increasing through education
and understanding
ii. By 2020, at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can
take to conserve and use it sustainably
iii. People are aware of the values of biodiversity 3 People are aware of the steps they can
take to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity
b. Society is increasingly aware of biodiversity crisis. - CORRECT ANSWER i. By
2020, at the latest, biodiversity values have been integrated into national and local
development and poverty reduction strategies and planning processes and are being
incorporated into national accounting, as appropriate, and reporting systems.
ii. Biodiversity values integrated into national and local development and poverty reduction
strategies 3 Biodiversity values integrated into national and local planning processes 3
,Biodiversity values incorporated into national accounting, as appropriate 3 Biodiversity
values incorporated into reporting systems
iii. National-level commitments to biodiversity are increasing.
iv. Increased efficiency is reducing per-capita footprint
v. Unfortunately, total pressure on biodiversity continue to grow.
vi. Thus, biodiversity will continue to decline.
vii. Pressures too strong? Commitments too weak?
c. Target 3: eliminate harmful incentives, increase positive - CORRECT ANSWER i.
Negative incentives continue
ii. By 2020, at the latest, incentives, including subsidies, harmful to biodiversity are
eliminated, phased out or reformed in order to minimize or avoid negative impacts and
positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are developed and
applied, consistent and in harmony with the Convention and other relevant international
obligations, taking into account national socio-economic conditions.
iii. Incentives, including subsidies, harmful to biodiversity, eliminated, phased out or
reformed in order to minimize or avoid negative impacts 2 Positive incentives for
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity developed and applied
iv. Biggest offender: agriculture, including biofuel production
v. Analysis of the major primary sectors indicates that drivers linked to agriculture account
for 70 per cent of the projected loss of terrestrial biodiversity. Addressing trends in food
systems is therefore crucial in determining whether the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-
2020 will succeed. Solutions for achieving sustainable farming and food systems include
sustainable productivity increases by restoring ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes,
reducing waste and losses in supply chains, and addressing shifts in consumption patterns."
d. Target 5: habitat loss - CORRECT ANSWER i. By 2020, the rate of loss of all
natural habitats, including forests, is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero,
and degradation and fragmentation is significantly reduced.
ii. The rate of loss of forests is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero 3 The
loss of all habitats is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero 2 Degradation
and fragmentation are significantly reduced
iii. Reduced rate of forest loss
iv. otherwise still bad, getting worse...
, v. Good news: reduced rate of loss of Amazon and Atlantic forests
vi. But notice the spatial scale of loss: by comparison, Rhode Island is ~ 3100 km2!
vii. Bad news: the policies promised by the new president of Brazil (Bolsonaro) would speed
up deforestation in the Amazon Basin
e. Target 6: aquatic resources sustainably managed - CORRECT ANSWER i. fisheries
management improving, but fishing industry still hammering biodiversity
ii. By 2020, all fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants are managed and harvested
sustainably, legally and applying ecosystem based approaches, so that overfishing is avoided,
recovery plans and measures are in place for all depleted species, fisheries have no significant
adverse impacts on threatened species and vulnerable ecosystems and the impacts of fisheries
on stocks, species and ecosystems are within safe ecological limits.
iii. All fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants are managed and harvested sustainably,
legally and applying ecosystem based approaches 3 Recovery plans and measures are in place
for all depleted species 3 Fisheries have no significant adverse impacts on threatened species
and vulnerable ecosystems 2 The impacts of fisheries on stocks, species and ecosystems are
within safe ecological limits, i.e. overfishing avoided
f. Target 8: reduced pollution - CORRECT ANSWER i. Increasing, no good news here.
Most of it coming from farming. Cant afford to under fertilize so you over fertilize
ii. Increased accumulation of excess nutrients
iii. By 2020, pollution, including from excess nutrients, has been brought to levels that are
not detrimental to ecosystem function and biodiversity
iv. Pollutants (of all types) have been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem
function and biodiversity No clear evaluation— highly variable between pollutants Pollution
from excess nutrients has been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem
function and biodiversity
g. Target 9: invasive/alien species - CORRECT ANSWER i. Increased commitment to
address problem, but IAS seems overwhelming
ii. By 2020, invasive alien species and pathways are identified and prioritized, priority
species are controlled or eradicated and measures are in place to manage pathways to prevent
their introduction and establishment.
iii. Invasive alien species identified and prioritized 3 Pathways identified and prioritized 3
Priority species controlled or eradicated 3 Introduction and establishment of IAS prevented
CORRECT answers
1. Who produced the GBO report, what was their objective, and how does the report intended
to accomplish their objective? - CORRECT ANSWER a. Conservation on Biological
Diversity, United Nations,UNEP
b. Main goal: conservation of biological diversity at global scale
c. To accomplish goal, focuses on...
i. sustainable use of natural resources
ii. "fair and equitable sharing of benefits" arising from use
iii. sets targets
iv. monitors progress
v. GBO focuses on poverty alleviation and equitable distribution of resources as a goal to be
simultaneously addressed.
vi. "Meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets would contribute significantly to broader global
priorities addressed by the post-2015 development agenda; namely, reducing hunger and
poverty, improving human health, and ensuring a sustainable supply of energy, food and
clean water. Incorporating biodiversity into the sustainable development goals, currently
under discussion, provides an opportunity to bring biodiversity into the mainstream of
decision making."
a. Awareness of biodiversity - CORRECT ANSWER i. Increasing through education
and understanding
ii. By 2020, at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can
take to conserve and use it sustainably
iii. People are aware of the values of biodiversity 3 People are aware of the steps they can
take to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity
b. Society is increasingly aware of biodiversity crisis. - CORRECT ANSWER i. By
2020, at the latest, biodiversity values have been integrated into national and local
development and poverty reduction strategies and planning processes and are being
incorporated into national accounting, as appropriate, and reporting systems.
ii. Biodiversity values integrated into national and local development and poverty reduction
strategies 3 Biodiversity values integrated into national and local planning processes 3
,Biodiversity values incorporated into national accounting, as appropriate 3 Biodiversity
values incorporated into reporting systems
iii. National-level commitments to biodiversity are increasing.
iv. Increased efficiency is reducing per-capita footprint
v. Unfortunately, total pressure on biodiversity continue to grow.
vi. Thus, biodiversity will continue to decline.
vii. Pressures too strong? Commitments too weak?
c. Target 3: eliminate harmful incentives, increase positive - CORRECT ANSWER i.
Negative incentives continue
ii. By 2020, at the latest, incentives, including subsidies, harmful to biodiversity are
eliminated, phased out or reformed in order to minimize or avoid negative impacts and
positive incentives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are developed and
applied, consistent and in harmony with the Convention and other relevant international
obligations, taking into account national socio-economic conditions.
iii. Incentives, including subsidies, harmful to biodiversity, eliminated, phased out or
reformed in order to minimize or avoid negative impacts 2 Positive incentives for
conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity developed and applied
iv. Biggest offender: agriculture, including biofuel production
v. Analysis of the major primary sectors indicates that drivers linked to agriculture account
for 70 per cent of the projected loss of terrestrial biodiversity. Addressing trends in food
systems is therefore crucial in determining whether the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-
2020 will succeed. Solutions for achieving sustainable farming and food systems include
sustainable productivity increases by restoring ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes,
reducing waste and losses in supply chains, and addressing shifts in consumption patterns."
d. Target 5: habitat loss - CORRECT ANSWER i. By 2020, the rate of loss of all
natural habitats, including forests, is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero,
and degradation and fragmentation is significantly reduced.
ii. The rate of loss of forests is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero 3 The
loss of all habitats is at least halved and where feasible brought close to zero 2 Degradation
and fragmentation are significantly reduced
iii. Reduced rate of forest loss
iv. otherwise still bad, getting worse...
, v. Good news: reduced rate of loss of Amazon and Atlantic forests
vi. But notice the spatial scale of loss: by comparison, Rhode Island is ~ 3100 km2!
vii. Bad news: the policies promised by the new president of Brazil (Bolsonaro) would speed
up deforestation in the Amazon Basin
e. Target 6: aquatic resources sustainably managed - CORRECT ANSWER i. fisheries
management improving, but fishing industry still hammering biodiversity
ii. By 2020, all fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants are managed and harvested
sustainably, legally and applying ecosystem based approaches, so that overfishing is avoided,
recovery plans and measures are in place for all depleted species, fisheries have no significant
adverse impacts on threatened species and vulnerable ecosystems and the impacts of fisheries
on stocks, species and ecosystems are within safe ecological limits.
iii. All fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants are managed and harvested sustainably,
legally and applying ecosystem based approaches 3 Recovery plans and measures are in place
for all depleted species 3 Fisheries have no significant adverse impacts on threatened species
and vulnerable ecosystems 2 The impacts of fisheries on stocks, species and ecosystems are
within safe ecological limits, i.e. overfishing avoided
f. Target 8: reduced pollution - CORRECT ANSWER i. Increasing, no good news here.
Most of it coming from farming. Cant afford to under fertilize so you over fertilize
ii. Increased accumulation of excess nutrients
iii. By 2020, pollution, including from excess nutrients, has been brought to levels that are
not detrimental to ecosystem function and biodiversity
iv. Pollutants (of all types) have been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem
function and biodiversity No clear evaluation— highly variable between pollutants Pollution
from excess nutrients has been brought to levels that are not detrimental to ecosystem
function and biodiversity
g. Target 9: invasive/alien species - CORRECT ANSWER i. Increased commitment to
address problem, but IAS seems overwhelming
ii. By 2020, invasive alien species and pathways are identified and prioritized, priority
species are controlled or eradicated and measures are in place to manage pathways to prevent
their introduction and establishment.
iii. Invasive alien species identified and prioritized 3 Pathways identified and prioritized 3
Priority species controlled or eradicated 3 Introduction and establishment of IAS prevented
