Biological diversity

Biodiversity-related laws and institutions will be key mechanisms for attaining the objectives of the Convention on biological diversity. As part of the national biodiversty planning process, legal and institutional profiles should be undertaken to ascertain which laws apply to and affect biodiversity and which institutions oversee legislation and portfolios which intersect with biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and benefit-sharing of genetic resources.

This series reviews the issues and processes involved in the management of biodiversity information to support the conservation and sustainable use of living resources. They also provide a framework for the development of national plans and strategies and for meeting reporting obligations of international programmes and conventions.

One of the innovative features of the first World Conservation Congress was the organisation of some 57 workshops divided into ten major streams. These ranged from topics as diverse as sustainability in artisanal fisheries to managing mountain protected areas to business and the environment. This publication presents a summary of all the workshops, the main speakers and the papers they presented.