Biodiversity is essential for achieving sustainable development and meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), according to experts attending a major conference.

Organized by the French Government and sponsored by UNESCO, the International Conference on “Biodiversity: Science and Governance” attracted more than 1000 participants. The Conference, which was held independently from intergovernmental negotiations, took place from 24-28 January 2005 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. It was convened to contribute to the ongoing global effort to reverse the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 and ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, as well as the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from genetic resources.
The Conference aimed to assess the current knowledge in, and need for, research and scientific expertise in biodiversity, as well as to examine public and private approaches to biodiversity conservation and management, and the interactions between science and governance. Meeting participants adopted two documents, the Paris Declaration on Biodiversity and the Conference Statement.
The Paris Declaration on Biodiversity is an appeal by scientists, focusing on the values of biodiversity and the goods it provides to humanity, and the irreversible destruction caused by human activities. The Paris Declaration suggests that a major effort is needed to discover, understand, conserve and use biodiversity sustainably.
The Conference Statement recognizes that biodiversity is a vital and poorly appreciated resource that is essential to achieving the MDGs. It stresses that biodiversity is being irreversibly destroyed by humans at an unprecedented rate and that, unless the rate of biodiversity loss is significantly reduced, any effort to reduce poverty will be undermined. In response to a proposal made by French President Jacques Chirac, the Statement recommends launching an international multi-stakeholder consultative process to assess the need for an international mechanism that would provide a scientific assessment of information and policy options required for decision making, building on existing bodies and activities.
Links to further information
IISD Reporting Services meeting reports, 24-28 January 2005
Conference Statement, 28 January 2005
Paris Declaration on Biodiversity, 28 January 2005
Species Loss: Biodiversity Conference Calls for Top Global Panel, Terra Daily, 28 January 2005
Do We Need Another Global Panel on Biodiversity?, SciDev.Net, 31 January 2005
France Stirs Controversy with Plan for Biodiversity Panel, SciDev.Net, 25 January 2005