Nagoya, Japan, 25 October
2010 - What is a 'Key Biodiversity Area'?
Why is it important, how was it established
and what is its relevance to business? The
answers to these and other key questions
can be now found on the 'A-Z Areas of Biodiversity
Importance' website, which was launched
today at the 10th Conference of the Parties
to the Convention on Biological Diversity
taking place in Nagoya, Japan.
Spotlighting some 35
important areas worldwide -such as Ramsar,
World Heritage sites and Protected Areas
-this electronic guide also explains the
species and habitats they seek to protect
as well as in their legal status and the
extent to which local communities are present.
"The A-Z guide
is a useful reference to support business
and other sectors with their biodiversity
commitments to mark our contribution to
the Year of Biodiversity," said Jon
Hutton, Director of the United Nations Environment
Programme-World Conservation Monitoring
Centre (UNEP-WCMC) which created the guide
in partnership with the International Council
on Mining and Metals (ICMM), the International
Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation
Association (IPIECA), the European Investment
Bank (EIB), the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD).
The guide, the first
of its kind, is geared to assist the business
community, governments as well as NGOs by
providing useful expert reviewed information,
links to tools with spatial data, and further
online resources to raise awareness and
support decision-making about areas important
for biodiversity conservation.
"The A to Z guide
is a useful tool to inform decisions by
businesses on the siting of projects so
as to minimize the environmental footprint
and maximize conservation opportunities
associated with infrastructure development,"
said Ernani Pilla, Natural Resources Senior
Specialist of the IDB.
The guide also covers
the criteria behind the management practices
for protecting different areas and important
information, like legal and compliance aspects
as well as the biodiversity and socio-cultural
values that need to be upheld in each location.
"For the mining
and metals sector, this practical and easy-to-access
tool will help those in the industry better
understand the many different areas of biodiversity
significance," said Andrew Mackenzie,
Senior Program Director ICMM.
The A-Z is a one-stop
information shop on over 30 different areas
of biodiversity importance. It can be used
by all sectors including business, government
and environmental agencies and is easily
accessible via the website - www.biodiversityA-Z.org.
"This online tool
is a useful resource for the oil and gas
sector. Whilst explaining the different
types of areas protected for their biodiversity
importance, it also provides informative
business context for managing operations,"
added Ruth Romer, Biodiversity Project Manager
of IPIECA.
"The A-Z will add
value to the increasing biodiversity management
toolbox by providing information and knowledge
to help the private sector better address
the risks and opportunities associated with
the business-biodiversity interface,"
said Peter Carter, Associate Director, Head
Environment and Social Office of the EIB.
More information about
the areas of biodiversity importance can
be found at www.biodiversityA-Z.org
About UNEP-WCMC
UNEP-WCMC is the specialist
biodiversity information and assessment
centre of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), run collaboratively with
WCMC, a UK charity, based in Cambridge,
U.K. UNEP-WCMC's mission is to evaluate
and highlight the many values of biodiversity
and put authoritative biodiversity knowledge
at the centre of decision-making. Since
its establishment in the 1970s, the Centre
has been at the forefront of the compilation,
management, analysis and dissemination of
global biodiversity information, and has
an outstanding record of achievement'.
Nagoya 2010: Weighing up the risks and benefits
of biofuels development
