Biodiversity
Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is most often associated with the earth’s vast variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms, but the term encompasses diversity at all levels—from genes to species to ecosystems to landscapes. Scientists estimate there are approximately 8.7 million species globally, of which approximately 2.2 million are marine. In spite of 250 years of research and over 1.2 million species already identified, it is possible 86% of existing species on Earth and 91% of species in the ocean still await description.
In each ecosystem, including those that occur within or among forests, wetlands, mountains, deserts, and rivers, living creatures interact with each other as well as with the air, water, and soil around them, forming an interconnected community. The ecosystem services provided by biodiversity are estimated to be worth trillions of dollars—double the world’s GDP. Biodiversity also includes genetic differences within species, such as different breeds and varieties, as well as chromosomes, genes, and genetic sequences (DNA). Biodiversity also has human benefits. For example, many new medicines are harvested from nature, such as the rosy periwinkle, which provides two very important cancer-fighting medicines.
Events and Articles
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IUCN World Conservation Congress 2020
As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the IUCN Congress successfully highlighted the planet's dual existential crises: climate change and biodiversity collapse. Members adopted the Marseille Manifesto, also reflective of the role and rights of indigenous peoples in conservation.
3rd Meeting of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework
Countries have until 15 October 2021 to express support for the Ministerial statement that emerged from last week's high-level meeting.
Satoyama Initiative: Healthy Planet, Healthy People
This HLPF side event shared how the Satoyama Initiative teaches that living in harmony with nature requires communities to consider issues of biodiversity, climate change, and zoonotics simultaneously.
3rd ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity: Final session
The fifth and final session represented a milestone for Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the road to shaping the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.
60th Meeting of the GEF Council
The 60th meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council adopted a Work Program worth USD 281.1 million that includes eight stand-alone full-sized projects on international waters, four on biodiversity, three on climate change mitigation, and two on chemicals and waste.
Stakeholder Days and 8th Session of the IPBES Plenary
The Plenary met virtually to approve scoping reports for two future assessments on the interlinkages among biodiversity, water, food and health, and the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, as well as work plans for the intersessional period.
3rd Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-3)
After six weeks of virtual negotiations, delegates agreed approval of any draft decisions will be postponed until parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity can meet in person, to finalize preparations for the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties and the post-2020 global biodiversity framework.
73rd Meeting of the CITES Standing Committee
The CITES Standing Committee agreed to give input to the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, work on the African Carnivores Initiative, and conduct a risk analysis for future meetings amid the pandemic.
24th Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-24)
After a year’s delay due to the pandemic, more than 1,400 representatives of parties and observers met online to advance preparations for the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, scheduled for October 2021 in China. Adoption of final draft decision documents was deferred until the meeting can resume in person.
How to Make Hybrid Meetings Work
All three Rio Conventions announced in-person meetings for the final quarter of 2021. The trio of organizations—UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)—all seem to be going ahead full steam. The UNFCCC Bureau just announced it will hold three weeks of informal talks in June and agreed decision making is an in-person affair, to occur at the next formal meeting. (The day after this article was originally published, the UNCCD announced its COP will take place in 2022. A virtual ExCOP will adopt an interim budget this year.)