Report of the Study Group on Biodiversity Science (SGBIODIV)

Ever since the 1992 United Nations ‘Earth Summit’ conference in Rio de Janeiro, biodiversity has received increasing attention from scientists, governments and the public worldwide1. Biodiversity features in many government Acts and Bills and it has demanded gatherings of scientists and government officials to debate it1. There is growing recognition that biodiversity, including the variety of genes, species and ecosystems, is an irreplaceable natural heritage crucial to human well-being and sustainable development2.