# 5 Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity ∼Biodiversity that supports our existence and our daily lives~

In June 2008, the Basic Act on Biodiversity was enforced, and a variety of efforts towards conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity have been made.

## (1) Status of biodiversity around the world

A variety of ecosystems exist on earth, and various living species exist being supported by these ecosystems. Although the total number of known living species in the world is approximately 1.75 million species, the total number of species on earth including those unknown is estimated to be between 5 and 30 million species.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened species (Red List), about 40% of the species assessed are threatened with extinction.

At the 8th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP8) in 2006, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity announced the second Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO2), assessing the status of biodiversity using 15 indicators. The results showed that biodiversity is still being lost, with 12 indicators showing negative trends although some indicators, including Coverage of Protected Areas, had made progress (Table5-1).

According to the interim report of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) made at COP9 high-level ministerial segment in 2008, 60% of coral reefs could be lost as early as 2030 through fishing damage, pollution,

Table5-1 The Assessment Results of the Status of Biodiversity by the Global Biodiversity Outlook 2

Category: Focal Area)	Results
Indicators in assessments for GBO2
Status and trends of the components of biological diversity)
Trends in extent of selected biomes, ecosystems, and habitats	✓
Trends in abundance and distribution of selected species	✓
Change in status of threatened species	✓
Trends in genetic diversity of domesticated animals, cultivated plants, and fish species of major socio-economic importance	✓
Coverage of protected areas	✓
Ecosystem integrity and ecosystem goods and services)
Marine Trophic Index	✓
Connectivity - fragmentation of ecosystems	✓
Water quality of aquatic ecosystems	↘/↗
Threats to biodiversity)
Nitrogen deposition	✓
Trends in invasive alien species	✓
Sustainable use)
Area of forest, agricultural and aquaculture ecosystems under sustainable management	✓
Ecological footprint and related concepts	✓
Status of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices)
Status and trends of linguistic diversity and numbers of speakers of indigenous languages	✓
Status of access and benefit sharing)
Indicator of access and benefit-sharing to be developed)	No data available
Status of resources transfers)
Official development assistance (ODA) provided in support of the Convention	✓
Note: Arrows indicate the direction of trends. Arrows pointing downward indicate deterioration, and arrows pointing upward indicate improvement.Source: Compiled by the Ministry of the Environment from “Global Biodiversity Outlook 2”

climate change and other factors (Figure5-1). The report also stated that 11% of the natural areas remaining in 2000 could be lost by 2050, as a result of conversion to agriculture, climate change and other factors. Moreover, the possible economic loss caused by the deterioration of the forest ecosystem is suggested to range from 1.35 trillion euros (approximately 220 trillion yen) to 3.1 trillion euros (approximately 500 trillion yen) by 2050.

## (2) Status of Japan's biodiversity

According to the Red List of the Ministry of the Environment, there are 3,155 species threatened with extinction in Japan; more than 30% of reptiles, amphibians, brackish and freshwater fish, more than 20% of mammals and vascular plants, and more than 10% of birds are classified as species threatened with extinction.

(3) Japan’s efforts towards the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10)

Regarding the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10) and the 5th meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (MOP5), it was decided at COP9, held in May 2008, that these meetings will be held in Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture in October 2010.

In response to this, the government in September 2008 established the Inter-Ministerial/Agency Co-ordination

Figure5-1 An Overview of the Interim Report of The Economics of Ecosystems & Biodiversity (TEEB)