Convention on Biological Diversity

At its eighth meeting, in 2006, the Conference of the Parties (COP) adopted the first-ever programme of work dedicated solely to island biodiversity. The aim of the programme of work on island biodiversity is to reduce significantly the rate of island biodiversity loss as a contribution to poverty alleviation and the sustainable development of islands, particularly small island developing States. Many of the thematic areas of the BPOA and MSI, including climate change and sea-level rise, coastal and marine resources, freshwater resources and tourism resources, are addressed by the island biodiversity programme of work. These activities are in many cases channelled through the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA), which was recognized by the COP, at its next meeting (2008), as one of the mechanisms to implement the island biodiversity programme of work.