The Critical Role of Biodiversity & Ecosystem Services in Achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals 2-4 March 2003 in the Huxley Conference Theatre of the Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London, UK

The sponsoring organizations were pleased to organize this meeting to discuss Biodiversity After Johannesburg – furthering the Millennium Development Goals and the WEHAB Framework.

The goals were to:

• Build on the momentum from Johannesburg by reflecting further on the “B” in WEHAB and how to ensure wider recognition of the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services to all sectors.
• Explore and articulate the links between biodiversity and the Millennium Development Goals in order to identify ways that biodiversity can help communities and countries achieve the MDGs.
• Identify a series of options for action in the short- and medium- term for decision-makers and other stakeholders in both developed and developing countries.
• Assist policy-makers and specialists in both developed and developing countries to respond to the opportunities offered by the recent agreements and decisions.
• Make a significant contribution to the research and analysis being undertaken by the UN Millennium Project.

This was the first of two meetings in London dealing with the links between biodiversity and sustainable development. The second meeting, to be held on 21-23 May 2003, is intended to lead to an improved understanding of what the 2010 target of significantly reducing biodiversity loss actually means in real terms, and how we will know in the future whether we have achieved it.

For more information on the “Biodiversity After Johannesburg’ meeting, please click on the following links:

Meeting Agenda (including linked presented materials)
Background Note
Meeting Report
Press Release
Newsfront Article
Meeting Participants

This workshop was sponsored by the Equator Initiative, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Nature Conservancy, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the United Kingdom Department For International Development.

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