9 March 2010: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has circulated 30 fact sheets for the celebration of the International Year of Biodiversity 2010. The fact sheets provide a brief synopsis on key issues related to the CBD and the Biosafety Protocol, including climate change and biodiversity.

The fact sheet on climate change and biodiversity highlights scientific evidence that climate change affects biodiversity and, as a result, vital ecosystem services for all humans. It also notes that biodiversity can help reduce the effects of climate change. The fact sheet on dry and sub-humid lands underscores climate change impacts on wetlands in drylands, grasslands, Mediterranean forests and desert margins. The fact sheet on forest biodiversity stresses the mitigation potential of forests. The fact sheet on protected areas stresses that protected areas can act as buffers against climate change and poverty, and that the LifeWeb Initiative has been created to strengthen financing for protected areas to sustain biodiversity, secure livelihoods and address climate change. [CBD Notification] [The Fact Sheets]