Global Taxonomy Initiative
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| Global Taxonomy Initiative | |
|---|---|
| Name | Global Taxonomy Initiative |
| Formation | 1994 |
| Type | Intergovernmental initiative |
| Headquartered in | Montreal |
| Parent organization | Convention on Biological Diversity |
Global Taxonomy Initiative is an intergovernmental program established under the Convention on Biological Diversity to address gaps in taxonomic knowledge critical for biodiversity assessment, conservation, and sustainable use. The Initiative promotes capacity building, standardization of taxonomic data, and mobilization of expertise through national focal points, regional networks, and partnerships with research institutions. It links taxonomic science with policy actors, conservation organizations, and funding bodies to support implementation of international agreements and national biodiversity strategies.
Background and Objectives
The Initiative originated from decisions at meetings of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and was influenced by discussions at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and the Rio Earth Summit. Its core objectives include strengthening taxonomic capacity in developing countries, compiling and sharing taxonomic information across platforms such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and supporting targets set by the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The Initiative emphasizes training taxonomists, standardizing nomenclature through links with the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants and the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, and integrating collections from institutions like the Smithsonian Institution, the Natural History Museum, London, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew into global databases.
Structure and Governance
Governance is carried out through mechanisms affiliated with the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat and guided by recommendations from subsidiary bodies such as the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice. National implementation is typically coordinated by CBD national focal points and supported by ministries and agencies including the United Nations Environment Programme and national museums like the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (France) and the Australian Museum. Regional nodes and networks draw on expertise from universities such as University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of São Paulo, and University of Cape Town, and from professional societies like the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Linnean Society of London, and the Entomological Society of America.
Program Activities and Projects
Activities include capacity-building workshops with partners such as the Royal Ontario Museum and the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian), digitization programs inspired by initiatives at the Botanic Garden Meise and the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (France), and the development of taxonomic reference lists comparable to efforts by the Catalogue of Life and World Register of Marine Species. Projects have supported regional inventories in areas including the Amazon Rainforest, the Congo Basin, and the Coral Triangle, and have coordinated specimen mobilization initiatives with herbaria like the Kew Herbarium and zoological collections at institutions such as the American Museum of Natural History. The Initiative has promoted standards interoperable with platforms like GBIF, Biodiversity Heritage Library, and the Encyclopedia of Life.
Partnerships and Collaborations
The Initiative collaborates with multilateral organizations including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Wide Fund for Nature, as well as research networks like the Global Taxonomy Network and the World Agroforestry Centre. It engages philanthropic funders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and corporate partners in biodiversity informatics projects similar to collaborations with Google and Microsoft Research. Collaborative research and capacity efforts involve museums and universities including Natural History Museum, Berlin, Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, James Cook University, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, and regional partners like the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States.
Impact and Outcomes
Outcomes include increased national taxonomic expertise in many countries through training programs modeled after courses at Stonehenge institutions and regional centres; expanded digitized specimen records integrated into GBIF and other portals; and contributions to national biodiversity inventories used in strategies like the Nagoya Protocol compliance and reporting to the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Initiative has helped mobilize taxonomic checklists supporting conservation planning in biodiversity hotspots such as Madagascar, Yunnan, and the Amazon Basin, and has influenced professional standards adopted by institutions such as the International Barcode of Life project and barcoding efforts at BOLD Systems.
Criticisms and Challenges
Critics point to persistent gaps in global taxonomic capacity despite Initiative efforts, citing shortages of trained taxonomists in regions like parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, and the precarious funding environment exacerbated by changing priorities at donor organizations like the Global Environment Facility. Challenges include integrating legacy collections housed at institutions such as the Natural History Museum, London and the Smithsonian Institution with new digital platforms, ensuring data quality across repositories like GBIF and the Catalogue of Life, and reconciling disparate nomenclatural practices from codes including the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants and the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Debates continue over prioritization between basic taxonomic research and applied biodiversity monitoring used by agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme.