2010 - International Year of Biodiversity

The NAAONB (National Association of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty) produces a full colour magazine for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty - "Outstanding" - which is published twice a year. You can view or download copies of this magazine from their website www.aonb.org.uk .

In the Spring/Summer 2010 edition of "Outstanding" Nick Clegg and David Cameron offer their visions for the future of AONBs while former Minister for the Natural Environment, Huw Irranca-Davies, shares his view on International Year of Biodiversity and the importance of celebrating the diversity of life on earth.

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) to help raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity all over the world.

Saving biodiversity requires effort from everyone. Through activities around the world, the global community will work together to ensure a sustainable future for us all. AONBs are ideally placed to help raise awareness of the importance of this campaign and we are using the year to work as a family to help achieve its goals to:
• Enhance public awareness of the underlying threats to biodiversity
• Raise awareness of what has already been achieved locally and nationally to safeguard it
• Encourage individuals, organizations and governments to take urgent steps needed to halt the loss of biodiversity
• Promote innovative solutions to accomplish this and plan for future years

A global target to significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity by 2010 was agreed by nearly 200 countries in 2002. The IYB is planned to align with the next conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010 which will assess international progress toward this target.

Further information can be found on www.iyb-uk.net