Western Isles Biodiversity

Background To Action For Biodiversity

At the Rio 'Earth Summit' in 1992, the UK Government signed up to the 'Convention on Biological Diversity' and pledged to develop and implement plans of action to protect and enhance biodiversity in the UK and internationally.

In 1994, the UK Government published the UK's Biodiversity Action Plan, which sets out steps needed for biodiversity conservation in the UK.

The overall goal of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan is to "conserve and enhance biological diversity within the UK and to contribute to the conservation of global biodiversity through all appropriate mechanisms".

The overall goal of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan is to "conserve and enhance biological diversity within the UK and to contribute to the conservation of global biodiversity through all appropriate mechanisms".

A major means of implementing this Plan is through the preparation and application of plans at a local level i.e. through Local Biodiversity Action Plans (LBAPs).

The Scottish Biodiversity Group was set up in 1996 to guide the necessary work arising from the UK Action Plan in Scotland. Central to Scottish action for biodiversity is the recognition that the UK Biodiversity Action Plan can only be implemented by ensuring that national objectives are translated into local action with the involvement of local people.