Biological diversity is a term used to describe all the different life forms on earth - plants, animals and micro-organisms.
We share this planet with more than five million species of wildlife. Those of us who don't live close to nature might think wildlife has become less important in our lives. This is not true.
As the world's population continues to increase sharply (from 2.5 billion in the 1950s to 5.1 billion in 1988, and 6.2 billion projected for the year 2000), pressure on natural resources is also increasing.
More people means more land being brought under direct human control. When this happens wildlife decreases.
Nowhere is this more obvious than the rainforests - earth's most complex natural systems.
Every minute 40 hectares of rainforests are destroyed, and an area the size of Hong Kong is being cleared every three days! It is estimated 60,000 plant and up to one million insect species will become extinct in the next 50 years.