Langhammer, Penny F.

Increasing interest in measuring, modelling and valuing ecosystem services (ES), the benefits that ecosystems provide to people, has resulted in the development of an array of ES assessment tools in recent years. Selecting an appropriate tool for measuring and modelling ES can be challenging.

Increasing interest in measuring, modelling and valuing ecosystem services (ES), the benefits that ecosystems provide to people, has resulted in the development of an array of ES assessment tools in recent years. Selecting an appropriate tool for measuring and modelling ES can be challenging.

A large number of approaches have been developed over the last four decades for identifying places of significance for biodiversity, but unfortunately this requires looking at multiple, disconnected databases and other information sources to understand the sites of importance in a particular area. To address this issue and provide a coherent, global approach, IUCN was asked to convene a worldwide consultative process to agree on an overarching methodology to identify Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) -- sites that contribute significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity.

Des zones importantes pour la conservation des oiseaux ainsi que des zones importantes pour les plantes ont déjà été identifiées dans plus de 170 pays. L’approche des Zones clés de la biodiversité se base sur le travail accompli jusqu’à ce jour, dans le but de prodiguer des conseils pratiques aux gouvernements dans l’identification des cites qui doivent être protégés pour assurer l’avenir à la fois de la biodiversité et de l’humanité.

Important Bird Areas and Important Plant Areas have already been identified in more than 170 countries. The Key Biodiversity Areas approach builds on the work done to date, in order to provide practical guidance to governments in identifying those sites which must be protected to ensure the future of both biodiversity and humanity.