Biodiversity: Australia's Living Wealth

Exploring Australia's plants,animals and micro-organisms

Andrew J. Beattie
Editor

Foreword by Paul Ehrlich

Reed Books
ISBN 0 7301 0482 6

The Purpose of This Book

The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the "Earth Summit") was held in Rio de Janeiro during 1992. Australia signed the Convention on Biological Diversity at the Convention on Biological Diversity at the Conference and ratified it on 18 June 1993. The Convention was developed in recognition of the present and future value of biological diversity and its significant reduction around the world. Through the Convention, Australia and many other countries are involved in an international partnership to half the global loss of Biodiversity. The Convention came into force on 29 December 1993.

It has all seemed very sudden - indeed the science of Biodiversity is very new and most of us are unfamiliar with its vocabulary. This has raised the spectre that it will become merely another rallying point for the extremists in the environmental debate: a saviour for those who would deny development of natural resources and doom to those for whom Biodiversity conservation suggests the end of their livelihood.

It is essential that we find ways to balance the development and conservation of our natural resources. The purpose of this book is to introduce the science of Biodiversity in the hope that increased understanding of its foundations will lead to informed debate and a wide consensus.

This book is written particularly for those without a formal education in biology but who are either interested in or involved with making government and business decisions that influence the environment. It will inform you on how Biodiversity is measured, how it evolves, what affects it and why it is important. There are also special sections on Australia's unique Biodiversity and the exciting scientific challenges it presents.

This book revolves around four fundamental principles:

  • Biodiversity is crucial to environmental management.

    Natural ecosystems and their occupants provide us with effective waste disposal, clean air and water, productive soils, and the control of pests, disease, floods and erosion.

  • Biodiversity is biological wealth.

    Some of our most important industries are rooted in Biodiversity - including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism. Biodiversity provides resources as diverse as medicines, construction materials, textiles, foods of every conceivable kind and a vast range of potentially valuable products, the scope of which we are only just beginning to imagine.

  • Conservation of Biodiversity is a challenge for us all.

    All users and consumers of our natural resources have a vested interest in the conservation and management of Biodiversity.

  • Biodiversity is a frontier.

    The majority of organisms are tiny and the variety of living things on Earth is so vast that to find them all presents a challenge to science and technology as great as exploring other planets. The need to assess and understand Biodiversity will make this an age of exploration and discovery.

    Mail order copies available from:
    The Co-op Bookshop - Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109
    Phone: (02) 9888 6523 Fax: (02) 9887 4712
    International: (612) 9888 6523 Fax: (612) 9887 4712

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    [Biodiversity and Australia] [Understanding Biodiversity] [Conserving Biodiversity] [Using Biodiversity Sustainably]

    [Research and Education Programs] [Key Centre Personnel] [Seminar Series] [Biodiversity: Australia's Living Wealth]