Biodiversity

Biodiversity, often seen as "diversity of species," is a vital aspect of life on Earth, whose significance has only recently been fully acknowledged. It is recognized as a "global asset of incalculable value to present and future generations" (Kofi Annan). The distribution of biodiversity is uneven, with the majority of biological resources concentrated in developing countries within the tropics and subtropics. This disparity led to the title of an international conference held in Bonn in 1997, focusing on biodiversity as a challenge for development research and policy. This event marked one of the first major initiatives by the North-South Centre for Development Research (ZEF) at Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, established in 1995 to enhance international cooperation and dialogue. The ZEF emerged from the Bonn Berlin agreement of July 1994, aimed at mitigating the impact of the Parliament and Government's relocation to Berlin. This initiative aligns with the strategy to bolster Bonn's status as a hub for international science and development policy, fostering collaboration among national and supranational agencies addressing these critical issues.