Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Mission

Conceived as a practical tool for translating the principles of Agenda 21 into reality, the Convention, signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, recognizes that biological diversity is about more than plants, animals and micro organisms and their ecosystems - it is about people and our need for food security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter, and a clean and healthy environment in which to live.