National Objectives and Targets for Biodiversity Conservation, 2001-2005
By Government of Australia View PublicationBiodiversity describes the organisms in the natural environment, which provide the ecosystem services that form our natural capital: fresh water, clean air, soil fertility and biological pest control. Biodiversity is fundamental to the future sustainability of the world’s natural resources. A recent report by the World Resources Institute values the ‘free’ ecosystem services at over $30 trillion to the global economy each year. Conservation of biodiversity, on economic grounds alone, needs to become core business in the management of our natural resources.