Recognition of the importance of biodiversity and the global scale of biodiversity loss has gained a high political profile over the last few decades.

In April 2002, at the 6th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), governments committed themselves ‘to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth’ (Decision VI/26). This ‘2010 Biodiversity Target’ was later endorsed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), and has been included in Millennium Development Goal 7 (MDG 7)
under the ‘reducing biodiversity loss’ target.

The 2010 Biodiversity Target has been further considered during deliberations on the CBD’s Strategic Plan at the 7th, 8th and 9th meetings of the CBD COP. At COP 9, the Parties further considered the evaluation of the Strategic Plan beyond 2010 (Decision IX/9).