The Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD) defines biodiversity asthe variability among livingorganisms from all sources including, inter alia,terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and theecological complexes of which they are part; this includesdiversity within species, between species, and ofecosystems.The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and TEEB(The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) demonstratedthat biodiversity underpins ecosystem goods and servicesthat are required for the survival of human societies andfor the future of all life on the planet. In addition,biodiversity generates considerable economic value throughthe provision of goods such as food, water, and materials,and services such as climate regulation, pollination,disaster protection, and nutrient cycling. Governments,civil society organizations, the private sector, indigenouspeople and local communities, and others have made someprogress in sustainably managing biodiversity and ecosystemsat local and national levels, but not at the scale necessaryto stem the ongoing tide of biodiversity loss globally.Current estimates indicate that species loss is occurring at1,000 to 10,000 times the natural background rate. Of allthe global environmental problems the world is facing today,biodiversity loss is the only one that is likely irreversible.
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