International Day for Biological Diversity: An occasion to find out the current state of science on biodiversity loss

In time for the 22 May 2006, which is the International Day for Biological Diversity, GreenFacts has published a popularised version of the Millennium Assessment Report on Biodiversity. It is available at www.greenfacts.org/biodiversity/ in English, and soon also in French, Dutch and Spanish. The summary was produced in partnership with IUCN (the World Conservation Union), Countdown 2010 and UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

This year’s International Day for Biological Diversity marks the 16th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity. According to this Convention, Biodiversity – the number, variety, and variability of living organisms – is not just about plants, animals, microorganisms and their ecosystems, but also about humans and their needs such as food security, clean air and water, as well as a healthy environment.

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) was launched by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in 2001 to provide scientific information concerning the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being and options for responding to those changes. It involved over 1300 scientists from 95 countries and produced a series of assessment reports.

“Only by understanding the environment and how it works, can we make the necessary decisions to protect it,” said Kofi Annan in a message launching the MA reports. “The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is an unprecedented contribution to our global mission for development, sustainability and peace.”

The Biodiversity Synthesis Report is one of several thematic synthesis reports published by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. A popularised version of the overarching synthesis report “Ecosystems and Human Well-being” has also been published by GreenFacts at www.greenfacts.org/ecosystems/.