The Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) came into force in 1993. It has 3 main objectives: (1) The conservation of biological diversity; (2) The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity; and (3) The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources.

QUICK-LINKS:  Convention of BD    BD in the Cook Islands    BD Resources
Ridge to Reef   Access to Benefit Sharing

THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY and how it operates

• Text of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity
• UN Convention on Biological Diversity – cbd.int
• UN Convention on Biological Diversity – Wikipaedia
• The Nagoya Protocol – on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way.
• The Cartagena Protocol – on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health.

• History of the Convention

• Sustaining Life on Earth – how the CBD promotes nature and human well-being

• Decisions made at the Conferences of Parties
• List of Parties to the Convention
• Country Profiles in relation to the Convention 
• Calendar of International CBD Meetings and other Events
• CBD Related Websites and Links

UNITED NATIONS DECADE OF BIODIVERSITY  

• United Nations Decade of Biodiversity
• International Day for Biological Diversity
• Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020

• Aichi Biodiversity Targets
• Thematic Programmes & Cross-cutting Issues
• Cooperation and Partnerships – joint liaison between the Three Rio Conventions – Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification

GLOBAL NBSAPS AND RELATED RESOURCES

• National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans – NBSAPs are the principal instruments for implementing the Convention at the national level (Article 6).  This site provides access to the NBSAPs of other countries.
• Interim Assessment of NBSAPS – a 2015 study of the NBSAPs from around the world to assess their compliance with the Nagoya Protocol. It was noted that many NBSAPs only complied “in varying degrees” with the Protocol.
• Global Diversity Outlook –  provides a summary of the status of biological diversity and an analysis of the steps being taken by the global community to ensure that biodiversity is conserved and used sustainably, and that benefits arising from the use of genetic resources are shared equitably.
• The CBD Handbook – explains the operations of the Convention of Biological Diversity and serves as a reference guide to decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity
• CBD Information Centre – provides an overview of the major sources of information made available on the CBD website

BIODIVERSITY AND WORLD HEALTH 

• Climate Change and Human Health – Biodiversity
• Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health (2015)– publication by WHO and CBD
• CBD and WHO  Joint Work Programme – Health and Biodiversity

THE CLEARING-HOUSE MECHANISM

• Clearing-House Mechanism (CHM)  – what a CHM is and why it is important
• Clearing-House Mechanism Network – CHMs of countries from all around the world
• Information Services of the CBD Clearinghouse Mechanism – a 34 page  United National Environment Programme (UNEP) document outlining the expectations of a biodiversity clearinghouse

OTHER CONVENTIONS RELATED TO BIODIVERSITY

Signed/Not signed

• Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
• Convention to Combat Desertification
• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES)ory Species
• Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
• RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands
• International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling
• World Heritage Convention