The reduction of world poverty is a major challenge for the international community over the next decade. It is increasingly clear that the our capacity to successfully achieve this objective will be undermined if the natural resource base for development is threatened. ~Biodiversity is a fundamental characteristic of that resource base, defining many of its immediate and future potentials and vulnerabilities. The purpose of this document is to explore how biodiversity and people’s interactions with it might either support or restrict poverty reduction processes. It does so by aiming to develop a better understanding of biodiversity, the values it holds, and how people respond to it. It attempts to shed light on the differing impacts of these values – and their associated management systems on people’s livelihoods, especially those of the poorest groups. It ends with a presentation of possible future actions.

The report focuses on the development of national policy to implement the third objective of the Convention on Biodiversity, which requires the benefits from the commercial and scientific use of genetic resources to be shared fairly and equitably.

In many countries, efforts are being made to enhance involvement of rural communities and the poor in the tourism industry. Community involvement offers the prospect of enhanced rural development, conservation, and a more broadly-based tourism industry. However, experience to date has also thrown up many limitations and challenges. This paper explores some of those challenges and identifies strategies for addressing them, based on experiences in a range of countries. It aims to provide practical examples and an analysis of key issues for those who are also wrestling with the issues.