Capacity Building to Sustainably Use Biodiversity in Dryland Regions of Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

Latin America and the Caribbean are well known as the site of great biodiversity, but the focus of attention is most often on the admittedly important world heritage of the tropical and mountain rainforests and wetlands of the region. This paper directs attention to the globally significant biodiversity of the arid and semiarid parts of the region. The area includes some of the driest deserts in the world in Chile and large areas of semiarid subtropical conditions, some of which are influenced by the proximity to, and the influence of, the Andean mountain chain. The paper reviews the current funding priorities in the region, attempts in a general way to identify biodiversity conservation needs in terms of networks and institutions and addresses the most effective processes to build on and expand the already sound capacity in the region.