World pledges money to protect biodiversity

Summary:

The article announces that a recent United Nations conference in Hyderabad, India has come to a conclusion that funds for preserving biodiversity in developing and poor countries will be doubled. The reason for the recent increase of funding to biodiversity preservation is because of the 400 plants and animals that were added to the red list of impending extinction in one week. So far, there are 13 percent of birds, 41 percent of amphibians, 33 percent of reef-building corals, and 25 percent of mammals that are at risk of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. There were no exact figures that were said to be funded, but it was said from a consensus of observing groups to be around ten billion dollars annually. This funding is said to begin in 2015 and maintain until 2020. It is also agreed upon that 75 percent of fund receiving countries report back on spending by 2015. Also, they must come up with national biodiversity plans. However, the World Wildlife Fund has said that 200 billion dollars must be funded if biodiversity were to be preserved. Also, it is pointed out that there are 50 zones on the ocean, where funding will not support. This makes these potential places for damaging fishing and oil prospecting.

Relevance:

The article's relevance to our first term of biology class is that we have learned that biodiversity, "a term that encompasses the variety of life on Earth" (Campbell, Williamson, Heyden, p.805), is very important in keeping a sustainable environment. This means that the more species in an environment there are, the better chance of the environment staying. This recent funding in preserving biodiversity really shows how important and urgent it is in preserving our environment's biodiversity and the Earth itself.

Information:

Url: http://phys.org/news/2012-10-world-pledges-money-biodiversity.html

Publisher: Phys.org

Author: Mariette le Roux

Date of Publication: October, 20, 2012