Abstract
The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, adopted under the auspices of the Convention on Biological Diversity, provides the basis for taking effective action to curb biodiversity loss across the planet by 2020-an urgent imperative. Yet, Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, which encompass 10% of the planet's surface, are excluded from assessments of progress against the Strategic Plan. The situation is a lost opportunity for biodiversity conservation globally. We provide such an assessment. Our evidence suggests, surprisingly, that for a region so remote and apparently pristine as the Antarctic, the biodiversity outlook is similar to that for the rest of the planet. Promisingly, however, much scope for remedial action exists.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Antarctic Regions
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Biodiversity*
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Conservation of Natural Resources / methods
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Conservation of Natural Resources / trends*
Grants and funding
Centre Scientifique de Monaco
http://www.centrescientifique.mc/en/. Provided local support for the meeting. Received by all authors. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Monash University
www.monash.edu.au. Supported travel of SLC, MAM, and BWTC. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
www.scar.org. Supported travel to the assessment meeting. Received by all authors except SLC, MAM, BWTC. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Government of the Principality of Monaco
http://en.gouv.mc/. Hosted the assessment meeting. Received by all authors. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.