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As a geographically isolated country with many unique plants and animals and as a country dependent on activities such as agriculture, fishing and forestry for our economic wellbeing, New Zealand has a strong interest in species conservation. New Zealand therefore plays an active role in the operation of international treaties relating to species conservation with a particular interest in the protection of marine species such as whales.
Biological diversity - or biodiversity - is the term given to the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms. The biodiversity we see today is the fruit of billions of years of evolution, shaped by natural processes and, increasingly, by the influence of humans. It forms the web of life of which we are an integral part and on which we fully depend.
New Zealand ActionsConserving biodiversity is a priority for New Zealand, which ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1994 and has produced a national Biodiversity Strategy. As the Strategy says, “our indigenous biodiversity - our native species, their genetic diversity, and the habitats and ecosystems that support them - is of huge value to New Zealand and its citizens; to our economy, our quality of life, and our sense of identity as a nation”.
New Zealand is also committed to helping stem the loss of biodiversity worldwide, and regularly participates in international biodiversity meetings and capacity building projects.
The Convention on Biological DiversityThe Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has three aims: the conservation of biological diversity; the sustainable use of its components; and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. The Parties to the convention have work programmes to promote national, regional and international action on a wide range of themes and cross-cutting issues, including alien invasive species management, marine and coastal biodiversity, protected areas, sharing genetic resources, and the protection of the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities relating to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade leads New Zealand’s participation in CBD meetings. The Department of Conservation leads New Zealand’s domestic implementation of the Convention.
