ABSTRACT
This chapter situates the concept of biological diversity within the corpus of international environmental law. It briefl y explores the evolution of global environmental consciousness toward the protection of biological diversity which crystallised in the ‘1992 Rio Package’ of international environmental instruments, most notably the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It identifi es key international, regional and other relevant levels of regulatory instruments and initiatives at the core and periphery of the CBD framework that shape the subject of conservation of biological diversity. It concludes by refl ecting on the mutually re-enforcing nature of the environment, especially biodiversity conservation, with developmental imperatives.
