Challenges of Marine Biodiversity (Thalassorama‪)‬

Introduction Biodiversity is a concept increasingly seen in scientific publications and on the agendas of environmental protection groups. Scientists have warned that human activities are increasingly cutting further into nature's abilities to respond to external changes by reducing the diversity of living organisms. Loss of biodiversity has reached the agendas of the global community. Initiated by the United Nations Convention on Biological diversity in Rio in 1992, the Conference of Parties of the Convention on biological diversity signed a declaration in Jakarta in 1995 (The Jakarta Mandate). The Mandate sets forth actions needed to preserve biodiversity and emphasizes the need for an integrated management approach for marine and coastal areas.