Indicators
Introduction

Importance
Biodiversity indicators are information tools, summarizing data on complex environmental issues to indicate the overall status and trends of biodiversity. They can be used to assess national performance and to signal key issues to be addressed through policy interventions and other actions. The development of indicators is, therefore, important for monitoring the status and trends of biological diversity and, in turn, feeding back information on ways to continually improve the effectiveness of biodiversity management programmes.

Biodiversity indicators, when used to assess national or global trends, build a bridge between the fields of policy-making and science. Policy makers set the targets and measurable objectives, while scientists determine relevant variables of biodiversity, monitor current state and develop models to make projections of future biodiversity status. Once they are selected, indicators give direction to monitoring and research programmes.


Status, trends and causes of biodiversity loss
Increasingly, targets are being used in various areas of public policy, including biodiversity. Indicators of status, trends and causes of biodiversity loss as well as of the effectiveness of response options are needed to inform decision makers and civil society whether these targets are being met. While environmental-indicator research for certain sectors (such as forestry) has made some progress, far less has been made in developing indicators for biological diversity. This is due, in part, to scientific uncertainty, such as poor understanding of complex ecosystem processes and functions, and the limited availability of suitable time series data.


How the issue is being addressed under the CBD
The use of reliable indicators is essential to the development of measures designed to achieve the aims of the Convention, which are to ensure the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of biological resources and the equitable sharing of the benefits of genetic resources. Indicators contributing to all three objectives will be required in order to track progress effectively.

The Convention assists Parties to design national-level monitoring programmes and indicators, taking in account the on-going work and initiatives on indicators. At the global level, indicators are used to assess progress towards the strategic target of a significant reduction of the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.