Background

In April 2002, the Parties to the Convention committed themselves to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth.

This target was subsequently endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the United Nations General Assembly and was incorporated as a new target under the Millennium Development Goals.

The Conference of the Parties has considered the 2010 Target during deliberations on the Convention's Stragic Plan during its 6th, 7th 8th and 9th meetings. At COP 9, the Parties further considered the evaluation of the Strategic Plan beyond 2010 in its Decision IX/9.

Assessing Progress Toward the 2010 Target

Global Biodiversity Outlook is the flagship publication of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Global Biodiversity Outlook 3 was formally launched in the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. Drawing on a range of information sources, including national reports, biodiversity indicators information, scientific literature, and a study assessing biodiversity scenarios for the future, the third edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook summarizes the latest data on status and trends of biodiversity and draws conclusions for the future strategy of the Convention. An important source of information in the preparation of the third edition was the information contained in the fourth national reports which was used to measure progress towards the achievement of the 2010 Biodiversity Target.

Global Biodiversity Outlook 2 assesses the current status and trends of biodiversity and the key drivers of biodiversity loss.

• The full text of the Global Biodiversity Outlook 2 is available below:
  

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