Biodiversity loss is one of the world's most pressing crises,
and there is a growing global concern about the status of the
biological resources on which so much of human life depends. It
has been estimated that the current species extinction rate is
between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than it would be
naturally. The Mediterranean is a mosaic of natural and cultural
landscapes that has led to the evolution of remarkable species.
The Mediterranean flora is outstanding, with between 15,000 and
25,000 species, 60% of which are unique to the region. Besides
this great richness of plants, a high proportion of
Mediterranean animals are also endemic. However, this natural
wealth is subject to heavy pressures, causing severe
environmental degradation. Species are disappearing, important
habitats are being lost or degraded, and both terrestrial and
marine ecosystems are destabilized because of pollution, the
over-exploitation of resources, invasive alien species, human
disturbances, and the increasing impact of clim