Page 6 - Environmental_Ecology

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Chapter 1

Biodiversity and ecosystems

1.1 Concept of biodiversity and excursus on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Biodiversity has been defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as the variability of all living
organisms included in aquatic, terrestrial and marine ecosystems and the ecological complexes to which
they belong. Interactions between living organisms and the physical environment create functional
relationships that characterise different ecosystems ensuring their resilience, their maintenance in a good
state of conservation and the provision of so-called ecosystem services. The Earth’s biological resources
1
are vital for the economic and social development of humanity. Consequently, there is increasing
recognition that biological diversity is a global resource of enormous value to present and future
generations. At the same time, the threat to species and ecosystems has never been greater than it is
today. The extinction of species caused by human activities continues at an alarming rate.

In response, as early as November 1988 the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) convened an
ad hoc working group of experts on biological diversity to explore the need for an international convention
on biological diversity (the CBD). Shortly afterwards, in May 1989, it set up the ad hoc working group of
technical and legal experts to prepare an international legal instrument for the conservation and
sustainable use of biological diversity. The experts were to take into account “the need to share costs and
benefits between developed and developing countries”, as well as “ways and means to support innovation
by local populations”.
2

In February 1991, the ad hoc working group became the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. Its
work culminated on 22 May 1992 with the Nairobi Conference for the adoption of the agreed text of the
Convention on Biological Diversity, which entered into force on 29 December 1993. The Convention on
Biological Diversity was inspired by the growing commitment of the world community to sustainable
development. It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the
sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use
of genetic resources.

Source: http://csrio.usuarios.rdc.puc-rio.br/en/noticias/biodiversidade-e-mudanca-climatica-ciencia-inte-
grada-para-uma-politica-coerente/

1 https://www.minambiente.it/pagina/cbd-convenzione-di-rio-de-janeiro; https://www.minambiente.it/pagina/biodiver-
sita
2 https://www.cbd.int/