The Convention on Biological Diversity, signed in 1992, represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. Furthermore, for the first time the international community has taken a comprehensive rather than a sectoral approach to conservation. The Convention recognizes that biodiversity and biological resources should be conserved for reasons of ethics, economic benefit and human survival.

The Convention goes beyond the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of biological resources, to encompass such issues as access to genetic resources and biotechnology. In addition, it recognizes the uneven distribution of biodiversity around the globe. If biodiversity is to be conserved, it imposes a heavier burden on the south. To carry such a burden, developing countries need additional contributions from, and increased partnerships with the industrial countries.

The Convention requires parties to integrate biodiversity conservation into national decision making, for example, national biodiversity strategies. It also requires parties to promote the sharing of information, to adopt incentive measures, to undertake research and training to encourage public education and to carry out environmental impact assessments on projects likely to have significant adverse effects on biological diversity.

Türkiye has been a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity since 1996. Currently, there are 190 Parties to the Convention.

The studies have been continuing with the coordination of the relevant Turkish Ministries for the revision of the “National Biological Diversity Strategy and Action Plan” that was prepared in 2001 in accordance with the Convention with a view to define the required actions to reach the biological diversity targets in Türkiye.

Since 2004, Türkiye has been Party to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was open for signature in 2000, that was prepared to contribute to ensuring an adequate level of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Türkiye is expected to host the 16th Conference of Parties of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in 2022.