Global biodiversity: trends and regulation

Biological diversity or biodiversity is a term used to define the variability of all living organisms on Earth. While research confirms that maintaining high levels of biodiversity is desirable due to the ecosystem services provided, as well as the emotional and cultural values that nonhuman life holds for many of us, it is difficult to measure biodiversity accurately. This Chapter provides an overview of biodiversity and the threats that humanity’s activities pose to it. It aims to both catalogue the damage to and provide reasons to protect biodiversity, as well as to provide an overview of global responses to biodiversity losses with a particular focus on the Convention on Biological Diversity, a global instrument that was conceived to specifically coordinate national action to conserve and promote the sustainable use of biodiversity, including equitable access to these resources by low-income countries. The Chapter also outlines issues related to bioprospecting and biopiracy and concludes with some thoughts on how to better harness the power of international cooperation to address biodiversity and species losses.