Designed to promote the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of life forms, this international treaty was adopted in May 1992 immediately before the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It came into effect in December 1993, and as of March 1999 175 countries were signatories of the treaty. The treaty's provisions cover such areas as national biodiversity strategies, the designation and monitoring of key habitats and species, conservation (both inside and outside designated habitats), information exchange, , the distribution of profits derived from genetic resources, technology transfer, financial cooperation, and the safety of biotechnology.

■ Convention on the Biological Diversity Secretariat Link