Environment and Energy

Millennium Development Goals and Biodiversity

The protection and sustainable management of biodiversity—including genetic resources, species and ecosystem services that support human development—is central to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of measurable, time-bound goals and targets adopted by world leaders at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000. Although one of the MDGs (MDG 7, on ensuring environmental sustainability) deals most explicitly with biodiversity, wise use of biological resources is important for the full range of development priorities encompassed by all eight MDGs.

For example, eradicating hunger (MDG 1) depends on sustainable and productive agriculture, which in turn relies on conserving and maintaining agricultural soils, water, genetic resources and ecological processes. The capacity of fisheries to supply hundreds of millions of the world's people with the bulk of their animal protein intake depends on the maintenance of ecosystems (such as mangroves and coral reefs) that provide fish with habitat and sustenance.

MDGs aimed at improving health and sanitation (MDGs 4, 5 and 6) require healthy, functioning freshwater ecosystems to provide adequate supplies of clean water; and genetic resources for both modern and traditional medicines. The burden of water and fuel collection is lessened by keeping ecosystems intact and healthy; and this in turn contributes to achieving MDG 3 on gender equality and empowerment of women, who are primarily responsible for these tasks.

UNDP works to ensure that biodiversity considerations are integrated in processes designed to achieve the MDGs. At the same time, UNDP works to help the CBD, multilateral and bilateral organizations, NGOs, other civil society organizations, and the private sector incorporate the MDGs in their efforts.

2010 - The Global Biodiversity Challenge
22-23 May 2003 - Held in London in conjunction with International Biodiversity Day

Biodiversity after Johannesburg: The Critical Role of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services in Achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals

The Millennium Development Goals and Conservation: Managing Nature’s Wealth for Society’s Health Edited by Dilys Roe, IIED 2004

The Millennium Development Goals and Local Processes: Hitting the target or missing the point? Edited by David Satterthwaite, IIED 2003

Biodiversity and the Millennium Development Goals: by Balakrishna Pisupati and Emilie Warner, IUCN Regional Biodiversity Programme, Asia. November 2003

Building on Hidden Opportunities to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals: Poverty Reduction through Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity