World Heritage Review 70: Synergies to Protect Sites

They acknowledged that the world was facing an unprecedented wave of species extinction and the rapid destruction of ecosystems and decided that it was urgent to halt the global loss of biodiversity in order to ensure that we leave a healthy and viable world for future generations. To achieve this, the Rio Summit adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This agreement, which has been adhered to by the vast majority of governments, sets out commitments for maintaining the world’s ecological foundations as economic development accelerates.