On the initiative of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, the French Research Institute for Development and Pro-Natura International, Santo...
Our Planet Reviewed
Our Planet Reviewed is a major exploration programme of the natural world and aims to acquire new knowledge in the regions of the planet with the greatest biodiversity, but which have remained largely unexplored.
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Mozambique-Madagascar 2009-2010
Between April 2009 and June 2010, Mozambique and Madagascar hosted a series of expeditions on sea and land.
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From the Bismarck Sea to the foothills of Mount Wilhelm, the Papua New Guinea expedition brought almost 200 researchers, students and volunteers...
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Today, the 70,458 species identified in France’s overseas territories are estimated to be just 10% of the species thought to be present.
An unprecedented programme of naturalist expeditions
"We are the 1st generation of scientists to be aware that a third or a half of biodiversity will disappear by the end of the century and that 80% has not yet been described."
Philippe Bouchet, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle
Disappearing habitats (forests, coral reefs), overexploitation, pollution, climate change - there are numerous causes for the disappearance of species and the scale of the biodiversity crisis is now proven. The richest ecosystems are also the least well-known. Since 2006, the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle and Pro-Natura International have been pooling their respective skills and expertise to support a major programme of naturalist expeditions named Our Planet Reviewed.
Essentially dedicated to neglected biodiversity, such as marine and land invertebrates, plants and fungi, which represent 95% of the world’s biodiversity and play a fundamental role in the balance of ecosystems, Our Planet Reviewed intends to return these all too often unknown components of biodiversity to their rightful place and thereby encourage new conservation policies which are no longer solely based on emblematic species, such as mammals and birds.
Objectives:
- accelerate the scientific discovery of new species by focusing efforts on the regions of the planet which are considered a priority in terms of nature conservation
- provide scientists around the world with new specimens to study, whilst preserving this biodiversity for future generations
Ambition: bring the neglected compartments of biodiversity within the remit of nature conservation and protection organisations
Requirement: produce massive, ambitious biodiversity inventories so that the results have a global reach