ABSTRACT
Growing concern over the effects of biodiversity loss on progress towards sustainable development led to the establishment of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. To date, over 180 countries have ratified it, demonstrating a significant global commitment to the cause. The CBD presents a comprehensive series of pragmatic and innovative principles for action (Box 20.1), which have been further elaborated by six Conferences of the Parties. Yet there has been insufficient advancement in operational terms. This lack of progress should be taken very seriously as biodiversity loss, together with other forms of environmental degradation, has the potential to undermine progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, see https://www.undp.org/mdg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">www.undp.org/mdg and Box 20.3).
