Convention on Biological Diversity

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was ratified in 1993 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by 188 countries. All European governments signed up to the overall goal of preserving global biodiversity.

It represents the first united effort by governments to address the rate at which the world's natural resources are being degraded and destroyed.

The two most important objectives of the CBD are the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components.

The convention sets overall goals and policies to tackle the common problems causing the loss of biodiversity, and organises technical and financial cooperation to implement these goals and policies. But the ultimate responsibility for achieving the goal of the convention lies largely with the countries themselves.

Plants are a vital part of the world's biological diversity upon which all other biodiversity depends. Although just a small number of crop plants are used for basic food and fibres, many other species of wild plants have great economic and cultural importance and potential, providing food, medicine, fuel, clothing and shelter for vast numbers of people throughout the world.

Additionally plants play a key role in maintaining the environmental balance and ecosystem stability, and providing the habitat components for the world's animal ecosystem. Plants are an essential resource of the planet that needs to be preserved.

Danube delta in spring

In 2002, the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) was developed as part of the CBD dealing with the conservation of wild plants. The CBD also recognised the European Plant Conservation Strategy (EPCS) as a contribution towards the fulfilment of the GSPC.

This recognition significantly helps to raise the profile of the EPCS and of the Planta Europa Network's efforts to protect plants in Europe. It provides a powerful tool to implement a better legislation on European and national scales promoting a real commitment of European governments towards plant conservation.

For more information on the CBD, please visit the CBD website.