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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11th Session of the IPBES Plenary and Stakeholder Day
Delegates will focus on approving an assessment on the biodiversity-water-food-health nexus as well as an assessment of the underlying causes of biodiversity loss and the determinants of transformative change.
Towards Living in Harmony with the Ocean from Coasts to Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: Synergies between the BBNJ Agreement and work under the CBD
The adoption in June 2023 of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement signified a change in tides, not only for ocean governance in areas beyond national jurisdiction, but also for biodiversity conservation. With the expectation that the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and ratification of the BBNJ Agreement will soon come into fruition, stakeholders are becoming increasingly aware of the possible opportunities and challenges that it may bring. This side event considered how the BBNJ Agreement can work in synergy with efforts undertaken by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including the GBF.
SOI Global Dialogue with Regional Seas Organizations and Regional Fishery Bodies
This event featured reports on progress made through the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) Global Dialogue, launched in 2016, and highlighted the importance of cooperation and collaboration among regional bodies for achieving global goals and targets.
2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference - SBI 5 / CBD COP 16 / CP-MOP 11 / NP-MOP 5
Participants will review the state of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, including through alignment with national biodiversity strategies and action plans as well as resource mobilization. (Leer informes en español)
2024 CCICED Annual General Meeting
Concluding three days of considering a broad range of recommendations from the Special Policy Studies, CCICED members and other participants were ready to tackle the 2024/25 period and the new set of eight agreed research themes.
UN Biodiversity Conference
“Biodiversity is fundamental to human well-being, a healthy planet, and economic prosperity for all people, including for living well in balance and in harmony with Mother Earth. We depend on it for food, medicine, energy, clean air and water, security from natural disasters as well as recreation and cultural inspiration, and it supports all systems of life on Earth.”
69th Meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC69)
Existential fault lines may remain, but the Commission’s civil and efficient deliberations resulted in some groundbreaking advances, demonstrating it can protect whales not only from hunting, but from other threats, including bycatch, entanglements, vessel strikes, climate change, underwater noise, and pollution.
2nd Meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Benefit-sharing from the Use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources
The outcome of the week’s deliberations is a heavily-bracketed recommendation to the Conference of the Parties, including options on: monetary contributions by digital sequence information (DSI) users to the global fund; the methodology and criteria for funding allocation; and data governance.
Societies in Harmony with Nature: Building sustainable and resilient communities through the implementation of the Satoyama Initiative and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity
Aligned with the HLPF 2024 theme on “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions” this side event highlighted the role of COMDEKS in achieving the SDGs and key targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Organizational Meeting of the Preparatory Commission for the Entry Into Force of the BBNJ Agreement and the Convening of the 1st Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement
Discussions over the work programme took up most of the three-day meeting, with a focus on governance and financial issues to be addressed by the Conference of the Parties once the Agreement enters into force. The next meeting is expected to be in April 2025.