SciDev.Net

Ten years since the UNCCD came into force, the problems remain. Despite some successes, varying definitions and restricted finance limit the convention's effectiveness, as Lindsay Stringer explains.

Biodiversity in the world's drylands is fragile, easily disrupted and under threat. John Lemons sets out guidelines for tailoring policies to best protect these uniquely adapted species.

Some environmental researchers take the view that species-rich ecosystems function better than those that are species-poor. Others disagree. Shahid Naeem assesses the arguments.