Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

This book describes how an era of biohappiness, based on the conservation and sustainable and equitable use of biodiversity, can be launched. It deals with all aspects of conservation such as in situ, ex situ and community conservation, and also covers conservation issues relating to mangroves and other coastal bioresources, whose importance has grown with the emerging possibility of sea-level rise from global warming.

UNDP's Environment and Energy Group is pleased to publish this Report which will be a cornerstone for future approaches and policy dialogue on the economics and management of ecosystem services. The Report highlights the economic contribution of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services to development and equity in Latin America and the Caribbean. It is to serve as an economic tool for decision makers so that ecosystem services are considered in sectoral and national planning.

This document reflects the main ideas of a joint production by the two Technical Co-operation projects "Implementation of the Biodiversity Convention" (BIODIV) and the "Tropical Ecology Support Programme" (TOEB), entitled "Tourism in Technical Co-operation." It addresses the planning and management of socio-economic benefits of tourism as sustainable development.

This comprehensive review of forest biological diversity is an important contribution to the international debate on conservation and sustainable use of forest biodiversity. The review summarizes important scientific assessments and monitoring programmes of forest biological diversity, including broad-scale information about forest loss and studies on the effects of this loss to ecosystem functioning and consequently to ecosystem services.

This text covers both theoretical and applied aspects of sustainable management, with a particular emphasis on reviewing concepts and addressing implementation issues in the form of case studies from around the world. Personal experiences from diverse backgrounds are considered and the best practices to facilitate further implementation are discussed.

As a contribution to clarifying the contested claims, IIED, UNEP-WCMC and the African Wildlife Foundation organised a symposium in April 2010. The purpose of the symposium was to explore the current state of knowledge and the evidence base for claims and counter-claims, in order to better understand what is assumption rather than fact.

Today, it is generally accepted that socioeconomic issues play a pivotal role in determining the success of efforts aimed at the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Yet there is still a great deal of incertitude as to how and to what extent these issues should be taken into account.

This publication reports on the measures taken for the implementation of the provisions of the Convention and on Belarus's efficiency for attaining the Convention's objectives. This publication is based on the materials of the National Strategy and Action Plan for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity in the Republic of Belarus and the analytical review called "The Status and Use of Biological Diversity in the Republic of Belarus."