UNRIC Library Backgrounder: Biodiversity

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UN Entities

• Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): http://www.cbd.int/

UN Conferences & Observances

• COP 15 – Fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Kunming, China,  11-15 October 2021 and 25 April-8 May 2022: https://www.cbd.int/meetings/COP-15
  • Kunming Declaration: https://bit.ly/3Fm4Hwf
• Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdisction, 4^th Session, UN Headquarters, 16-27 August 2021: https://www.un.org/bbnj/
• United Nations Summit on Biodiversity, 30 September 2020: https://www.un.org/pga/75/united-nations-summit-on-biodiversity/
• 22 May – International Day for Biological Diversity:
  https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day,  http://www.cbd.int/idb/
• United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, 2011-2020: http://www.cbd.int/2011-2020/

UN Treaties

• Convention on Biological Diversity: http://www.cbd.int/convention/convention.shtml
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: http://bch.cbd.int/protocol/
• The Nagoya – Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: http://bch.cbd.int/protocol/NKL_text.shtml

Selected Statements and Speeches of UN Officials

• ‘We are losing our suicidal war against nature’, Secretary-General tells Biodiversity Summit, urging bold actions towards sustainable future (SG/SM/20959, 11 October 2021): https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sgsm20959.doc.htm
• We must declare peace in ‘senseless, self-destructive’ war against nature, Secretary-General tells Biodiversity Pre-Climate Conference Meeting (SG/SM/20870, 30 August 2021): https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sgsm20870.doc.htm
• Secretary-General calls food system major driver of greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, citing ‘war on nature’, in message to Pre-Summit (SG/SM/20838, 26 July 2021): https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sgsm20838.doc.htm
• Secretary-General calls for united drive to tackle alarming decline in biological diversity, as governments prepare New Global Framework (SG/SM/20735, 21 May 2021): https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sgsm20735.doc.htm
• Rebalanced relationship between humans, nature will reap tremendous rewards, Secretary-General says on International Day for Biological Diversity (SG/SM/20733, 20 May 2021): https://www.un.org/press/en/2021/sgsm20733.doc.htm
• Deputy Secretary-General points out irony of nature-based solutions being among best remedies to global heating, at Biodiversity Summit closing (DSG/SM/1467, 30 September 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/dsgsm1467.doc.htm
• National calculations omit natural resources, Secretary-General tells Summit, urging governments to consider biodiversity when making financial decisions (SG/SM/20298, 30 September 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20298.doc.htm
• Secretary-General, in Message on Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, urges new global framework to address biodiversity-loss drivers, citing ‘planetary emergency’ (SG/SM/20287, 28 September 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20287.doc.htm
• Nature holds solution to preventing pandemics, Secretary-General says in observance message, stressing need for sustainable management of biological diversity (SG/SM/20086, 19 May 2020): https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20086.doc.htm

Further information

• Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land – Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/biodiversity/
  https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg15
• Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life below Water – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources:
  http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/
  https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdg14
• United Nations Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform – Biodiversity and ecosystems: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/biodiversityandecosystems
• Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction: http://www.un.org/Depts/los/biodiversityworkinggroup/biodiversityworkinggroup.htm
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) – Biodiversity: http://www.fao.org/biodiversity/en/
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) – Biodiversity and ecosystem management: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/2030-agenda-for-sustainable-development/planet/environment-and-natural-capital/biodiversity-and-ecosystems-management.html
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Ecosystems: https://www.unenvironment.org/explore-topics/ecosystems
  • World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) – Biodiversity & Ecosystems:  http://www.unep-wcmc.org/
• Global Environment Facility – Biodiversity: http://www.thegef.org/gef/biodiversity

Selected Publications available online

• Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Summary for Policymakers (IPBES, May 2019): https://ipbes.net/global-assessment-report-biodiversity-ecosystem-services
• CBD Publications and Newsletters: http://www.cbd.int/information/library.shtml
• Global Biodiversity Outlooks (CBD): https://www.cbd.int/gbo/
• UNEP Publications: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/7419
• Protected Planet Report 2016 (UNEP):
  https://www.protectedplanet.net/c/protected-planet-report-2016
• Dead planet, living planet: Biodiversity and ecosystem restoration for sustainable development (UNEP, 2010): http://www.grida.no/publications/215

October 2021
not an official document – for information only
https://unric.org/en/unric-library-backgrounder-biodiversity/