In June 1992, Pakistan joined other countries in signing the Convention On Biological Diversity during the Rio Summit. The Convention places responsibility on the signatories by providing a framework aimed at conserving and sustaining global biodiversity. This paper summarises the framework of the convention under the following broad categories:

1.            Objectives: To conserve global biological diversity and promote sustainable use of its components through development of national strategies, plans or programmes and integration of the convention into national agenda. Also, Pakistan is expected to keep those relevant international agreements valid except those that counter the convention.

2.            Principle: The sovereign right of countries to exploit the resources within national jurisdiction is recognized though the document applies to any activities and processes, which affect biological diversity beyond national jurisdictions.

3.            Obligation for Pakistan:  This category stresses cooperation, maintaining organised date, establishing protected areas fpr biodiversity habitat, regulation and management of biological resources within and outside these areas, provision of incentives for biological conservation and sustainable use, increased public awareness, creation of favourable condition for access to genetic resources and information sharing.

4.            Opportunities: This category includes external technological and financial support for in-situ and ex-situ conservation, capacity building, impact assessment support to minimize adverse impacts, Fair and equitable sharing of research results and resources from commercial and other utilisation of genetic resources.

5. Conference of the Parties