Biodiversity Conservation of the Third Pole: Potential Lessons from the Mekong River Basin

Abstract

This article evaluates the potential for a biodiversity conservation regime for the 'Third Pole' - the Himalayas / Tibetan Plateau - focused upon transboundary governance. After providing an overview of regional precedents from the other polar regions and Europe, it reviews the measures taken in relation to mountain biodiversity under the Convention for Biological Diversity and other multilateral regimes, in particular the World Heritage Convention and the Wetlands Convention in an Asian context. Subregional precedents in Asia are then analysed - with a focus on the Mekong River Basin - to provide specific context for the recommendation for a regime to be developed for the Third Pole. It is concluded that such a regime must be mindful of the context in which precedents operate, and in particular the practical experience of other regimes, if it is to be effective.