The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation, with its 16 targets for plant conservation, was first adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the CBD in 2002. The GSPC targets were renewed and updated for 2010-2020. The process of developing a post-2020 GSPC is now underway.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has three main objectives: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of the components of biological diversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. Botanic gardens around the world contribute significantly to the implementation of the CBD.

Botanic gardens are key players in the chain of custody of plant resources, accessing plant material from the wild and making this available for research, education and display purposes, BGCI helps botanic gardens understand and implement the access and benefit-sharing provisions of the CBD.

In 2024, BGCI is launching a new initiative that draws on the extensive international reach of botanic gardens worldwide to tackle the global problem of the illegal plant trade. Few are aware that more plant species go extinct annually than animals, with over-harvesting and illegal trade as major drivers of plant extinctions. We are working to change that.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) entered into force in 1975 and over 180 countries, or Parties, have signed up, committing to protect over 35,000 animal and plant species from unsustainable or illegal international trade.

With 17 goals and 169 targets, the SDGs recognise the inter-relationships between human development and the environmental, economic, social and political context in which it occurs.

The International Agenda was a policy framework for botanic gardens worldwide to contribute to biodiversity conservation.