The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international treaty — signed by 196 parties, including most countries of the world — supporting the conservation of the variety of life on Earth.​​

Why is this important? Because biodiversity is crucial for sustainable development and human well-being. At least 40 percent of the world’s economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. Fresh water, food, raw materials, medicines, climate regulation … all are underpinned by biological diversity.

CEPF works with the signatories of the CBD, nongovernmental organizations and communities in the world’s biodiversity hotspots to establish long-term, locally led conservation that guides sustainable use and equitable sharing of the benefits of biodiversity.

The parties to the convention have an enormous challenge ahead of them to achieve the Convention’s 2011-2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, also known as the Aichi targets, and every step taken towards these targets is important.

To date, CEPF has supported more than 2,100 civil society grantee partners in more than 90 countries and territories for projects that not only implement CEPF’s conservation strategies, but also make significant contributions to the Aichi targets. Our report, "Advancing the Targets,"​​ highlights CEPF grantee contributions to the Aichi targets and illustrates how civil society (nongovernmental organizations) are essential partners in our global efforts to conserve biodiversity.​

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