Argentina signs the Countdown 2010 Declaration and becomes IUCN member
4 October 2007, Bariloche, Argentina Argentina today became the fifth South American country to sign the Countdown 2010 Declaration. Miguel Pellerano, Subsecretary for the Argentinian Environment Secretary, signed the document on behalf of the Secretary of Environment, Dr. Romina Picolotti.
With this declaration, Argentina hopes to contribute to reducing the loss of biodiversity in the most biodiverse region of the world. The declaration was made during the 2nd Latin American Congress on Parks and Protected areas, carried out in Bariloche, Argentina during the 30th September and the 6th of October.
Mr. Pellerano said that this action is taken as a way to reinforce the commitments acquired by Argentina since the Summit of the Earth in 1992. The country became a member of IUCN at the same time, expecting to promote Countdown 2010 inside the Union.
In the Countdown 2010 declaration, Argentina commits to:
- support the commitments to halt or significantly reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010;
- encourage decision makers at all levels, in both the public and the private sector, to contribute to these commitments and
- increase public awareness and participation for biodiversity conservation.
These commitments include the promotion of exemplary activities towards the 2010 biodiversity target and the better integration of biodiversity considerations into all relevant sectors of public policy and economy; and a commitment to encourage and assist decision makers and societies in achieving the 2010 biodiversity target.
