Many countries are likely to struggle to establish a well-functioning national ABS regulatory system. This will likely slow down and sometimes will block

the transfer of tree germplasm for R&D. Such a situation is unfortunate, as climate change, outbreaks of pests and diseases, and other ongoing productivity challenges, all increase the need for transferring tree germplasm to accelerate R&D. The continued need for germplasm transfers for research is well recognized by scientists and research institutes, who are pressing their BMN 673 governments to minimize the bureaucracy and costs related to the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. Needs and options for specialized ABS arrangements for forest genetic resources to address concerns related to the Nagoya Protocol find more are also being explored by policymakers, in the context of FAO’s Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. We thank numerous colleagues who provided information for this report and apologize that the space does not allow them to be acknowledged individually here. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for their critical and thoughtful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. “
“The development of biodiversity indicators to track the

rate of loss of biodiversity on a global scale has been underway for over two decades, first with the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD1) in 1992 (SCBD, 2001), followed in 2002 (SCBD, 2006) by the agreement on targets to reduce the loss of biological diversity by 2010 (the 2010 Biodiversity Target),

and most recently in 2010, by the adoption of the Aichi Targets and a revised and updated Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 (UNEP/CBD/COP, 2010). The rationale behind this work is a general recognition of the richness of biological diversity on Earth, the threats that human activities pose to this richness, and the negative consequences that further loss of diversity may have to mankind and to the before Earth biomes as a whole. The objectives of CBD refer to intrinsic and utilitarian values of biodiversity, including their importance for evolution and maintaining life-sustaining systems (Glowka et al., 1994). Its overarching goal of sustainable development is to ensure and enhance the livelihoods of millions of people under the challenge of balancing the human appropriation of nature with the effects of global climate change and a growing world population. According to CBD, biological diversity embraces the diversity of all life on Earth and is commonly distinguished at three levels: ecosystems, species, and genes. The values of biodiversity are generally associated with these levels.