Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-2) published

The second edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-2) was published by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2006.

GBO-2 assesses the current status and trends of biodiversity and the key drivers of biodiversity loss. It provides a powerful case for the importance of biodiversity to human well-being. The report contains a succinct overview of the status of the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, progress towards the 2010 Biodiversity Target and its contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

As 2010 approaches, the document identifies key actions required at the individual, institutional, and systemic levels to achieve the 2010 target.

Effective biodiversity conservation depends on accurate, up-to-date and accessible information. The UNEP-WCMC Division of Early Warning and Assessment aims to support international conservation by providing integrated information of direct policy relevance. The overall goal is to analyse the state of global biodiversity, assess trends and provide early warning of emerging threats.

We collate and analyse data relating to status and trends in:

• distribution and condition of marine and terrestrial ecosystems
• patterns of species diversity
• distribution and abundance of threatened species
• pressures affecting biodiversity
• response measures

2010 Mandate

The seventh Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in February 2004 clearly identified a role for UNEP-WCMC in eight decisions, including work on assessing progress in achieving the internationally-agreed target of achieving a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss globally by 2010 (the so-called '2010 target'), on monitoring implementation on the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, and on the World Database on Protected Areas.

All these assessment activities will rely on close collaboration between UNEP-WCMC and institutions of all kinds in all parts of the world, and on direct and indirect input by very large numbers of concerned individual observers.

Publications

As well as making information available online and directly to partners, we have published a series of Atlases, compiling information on a global scale. Our Biodiversity Series tackles issues at a smaller scale.

Global Environment Assessments

We also contribute biodiversity information to global environmental assessments such as:

• the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA)
• the Global Environmental Outlook (GEO)
• the Global Forest Resources Assessment
• the World Water Assessment Programme
• the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN)