plants and animals Biodiversity, 

wild flowers in a meadow

Get involved in The Big Tree Plant

The Big Tree Plant LogoThe Big Tree Plant aims to encourage people and communities to plant more trees in urban and residential areas. The five year campaign will encourage local community groups to plant andcare for trees in their neighbourhood, particularly in areas that don’t have many. The Big Tree Plant partnership brings together civil society partners and conservation organisations, working with Defra and the Forestry Commission. For more information on how to get involved visitThe Big Tree Plant website
Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth. This includes all species of animals and plants, and the natural systems that support them.
Biodiversity matters because it supports the vital benefits we get from the natural environment. It contributes to our economy, our health and wellbeing, and it enriches our lives.
Biodiversity is in decline across the world because of human activity, with 10-30% of animals threatened with extinction. 10% of all species are thought to be at increasing risk for every 1°c rise in global mean temperature due to climate change. All countries need to work together to be part of the solution.
The biodiversity pages give more information on what it is and what Defra is doing in the UK and internationally.

The case for government action

Biodiversity is hugely important because of the benefits it provides. Many of the decisions the UK makes to conserve biodiversity are agreed at European or international level. The UK is working with other countries through membership of international agreements to conserve biodiversity. This includes developing countries and the UK’s overseas territories, which are rich in biodiversity but poor in resources, through schemes such as theDarwin Initiative.
The UK is also supporting a global study into The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB).

Latest news

  • 4 December 2010 – Caroline Spelman welcomes new global scientific body to provide advice on biodiversity
  • The tenth Conference of the Parties (COP) was held in Nagoya, Japan from 18-29 October 2010.  Agreement was reached on both a post-2010 framework to reduce biodiversity loss and a regime on access to genetic resources and the sharing of benefits from their use. In March 2010, the EU agreed a new target to halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020. It also agreed to restore them as far as possible, while stepping up the EU contribution to preventing global biodiversity loss.
  • 24 September 2010 – An independent review into England’s network of wildlife sites, ‘Making Space for Nature’, chaired by Prof. Sir John Lawton, was published with recommendations to help achieve a healthy natural environment that will allow our plants and animals to thrive.
  • A review has been done on how public authorities have responded to the ‘biodiversity duty’ contained in section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. The government is currently considering the report into the review of the Biodiversity Duty.
  • 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and everyone is being encouraged to take action to reduce the loss of biodiversity worldwide.
  • At the most recent Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Conference of Parties in Doha in March 2010, measures were adopted to improve the conservation of species, including tigers, rhinos, antelopes, crocodiles, turtles, frogs and mahogany. Steps were also taken to improve internet trade and electronic permitting.  Improved controls on marine species including sharks, bluefin tuna and red corals were not achieved.

Key facts and figures

The first set of UK ‘biodiversity indicators’ was published in June 2007, showing changes in aspects of biodiversity such as the population size of important species, the area of land managed for wildlife, and public awareness and participation.

The current situation and background

The following pages provide information on the current situation and backgroud both in the UK and internationally:
  • What we are doing in the UK
  • What we are doing internationally

Relevant legislation and regulations

  • The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 (PDF 512 KB) requires all public bodies to have regard to biodiversity conservation when carrying out their functions. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘biodiversity duty’. It aims to raise the profile of biodiversity and embed consideration of biodiversity in decision making across the public sector.
  • Planning Policy Statement 9 (PPS9) sets out planning policies on protection of biodiversity and geological conservation through the planning system.
  • Key habitats and species are also protected under the Habitats Directive via the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 in England; the Birds Directive, via the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010; and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended)
  • The EU Wildlife Trade Regulations relate to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
  • The UK Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations (COTES) creates offences in relation to the EU regulations and allows CITES to be enforced within the UK 2009 amendment.