"Entered into force on 29 December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is dedicated to promoting sustainable development, with three main objectives: (a) the conservation of biological diversity (all ecosystems, species, and genetic resources); (b) the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity; and (c) the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, notably those destined for commercial use. There are 196 States parties to the Convention and several advisory bodies have also been established. It stands as a landmark in international law, recognizing for the first time the conservation of biological diversity as an integral part of the development process (on one hand acknowledging that ecosystems, species and genes must be used for the benefit of humans, but simultaneously maintaining that conservation brings significant environmental, economic, and social benefits in return).
During the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP), held in 2010 in Japan, State parties adopted a revised and updated Strategic Plan for Biodiversity for the 2011-2020 period. This plan provides an overarching framework on biodiversity, not only for the biodiversity-related conventions, but for the entire United Nations system and all other partners engaged in biodiversity management and policy development. The fifteenth COP in 2020 is expected to update the Convention’s strategic plan and adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework, as a follow-up for the next decade".
