United Nations Decade on Biodiversity

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== United Nations Decade on Biodiversity ==

The United Nations Decade on Biodiversity was a global initiative declared by the United Nations (UN) to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. It spanned from 2011 to 2020 and aimed to support the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Background

The initiative was launched in response to the growing recognition of the critical role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an international legally binding treaty, provided the framework for the Decade. The CBD was adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and has been ratified by 196 countries.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity were to:

• Raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity.
• Promote actions at all levels to halt the loss of biodiversity.
• Encourage the integration of biodiversity considerations into all sectors of society.
• Support the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.
• Facilitate the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020

The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 was a ten-year framework for action by all countries and stakeholders to safeguard biodiversity and enhance its benefits for people. It included 20 ambitious targets, known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which were organized under five strategic goals:

• Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming biodiversity across government and society.
• Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable use.
• Improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity.
• Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge management, and capacity building.

Achievements and Challenges

Throughout the Decade, numerous initiatives and projects were undertaken globally to conserve biodiversity. However, despite these efforts, the Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 report indicated that biodiversity loss continued at an alarming rate, and most of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets were not fully met by 2020.

Legacy

The United Nations Decade on Biodiversity laid the groundwork for continued global efforts to protect biodiversity. It led to the development of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to build on the lessons learned and set new targets for the coming decades.

Related Pages

• Biodiversity
• Convention on Biological Diversity
• Aichi Biodiversity Targets
• Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020
• Global Biodiversity Outlook
• Earth Summit

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