Biological diversity

The latest IUCN Red List shows that a third of all amphibians, one in eight birds and a quarter of all mammals are under threat globally. Environmental action has to be taken collectively at the international level and the EU has taken a strategic approach across Europe, by implementing the Birds and Habitats Directives.

The world is facing a biodiversity crisis of unprecedented magnitude. Unless there are radical changes in human behaviour, we can expect significant and alarming species loss in the near future. DNA and tissue banks have great potential as tools for biodiversity conservation, yet few have been established.

The Mediterranean-rim countries hold around 400 million people and 135 million of them live on the coast. A steady migration towards coastal areas, specifically in the south and east of the Mediterranean, is causing pressure on the coastal environment and, more importantly, on its biodiversity. In this second Mediterranean regional assessment, all the reptile and amphibian species existing within the region of study have been evaluated for their global conservation status.

This book was published as part of an extensive dialogue between the International Council for Mining and Metals and the World Conservation Union (IUCN), which was set up to explore different aspects of biodiversity conservation in the mining and metals sector.

Wild plant species are used for medicine in most countries of the world. A recent survey conducted by members of the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission suggests that 72,000 species of higher plants are used medicinally worldwide, approximately 17% of the world’s higher plant flora.

Aborda el tema de la conectividad del paisaje y su papel en la conservación de la naturaleza. Ofrece una idea comprensiva de la importancia de las medidas que mejoran la conectividad del paisaje, y de cómo estos enlaces pueden beneficiar el estatus de la conservación de especies de vida silvestre. Incluye ejemplos y estudios de caso.