Abstract
The ecosystem approach can be considered the landmark regulatory strategy of the Convention on Biological Diversity and other biodiversity-related conventions. But legal scholarship is surprisingly thin with regard to the status and implications of the ecosystem approach. This chapter discusses the evolution of the ecosystem approach under the Convention on Biological Diversity, and analyses its interrelated components, including its interplay with the precautionary principle and its role in ensuring mutual supportiveness among biodiversity-related conventions, as well as with international human rights law. The chapter concludes by identifying overarching legal questions for future research.