The UN-declared International Year of Biodiversity marks the 2010 Biodiversity Target aiming to significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by this date. UNESCO has joined the Convention on Biological Diversity, the lead UN body and other UN, international and national partners to make the IYB an effective instrument to advance the cause of biodiversity conservation.
Biodiversity plays a vital role in human well-being and in maintaining the life support system on Earth. UNESCO, through the natural and social and human sciences, culture and its diversity, education and communication, contributes in a multidisciplinary way to tackling the root causes of biodiversity erosion and loss due to unsustainable development.
During the Year, UNESCO has lead several activities which aimed to educate and to raise public awareness on the reasons for conserving biodiversity, to fill the gaps in our knowledge of biodiversity and to catalyze further international action for its sustainable use.
UNESCO and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference of the Parties (COP 10), Nagoya, Japan
At its 10th meeting in Nagoya, Japan, in October 2010, the CBD COP 10 is due to adopt a revised and updated Strategic Plan including new biodiversity target(s) for the post-2010 period as well as the International Regime on Access and Benefit Sharing.
UNESCO will contribute to COP 10 by actively promoting the advancement of the international biodiversity governance agenda, by highlighting specific UNESCO-relevant biodiversity issues through side-events and by the presentation of the Japanese version of the UNESCO-led official IYB travelling exhibition.