Some other products obtained from bio resources without which life would be difficult include wood, fuel, bamboo, thatch, fodder, paper, cosmetics, material for clothing and housing, etc. Biodiversity maintains the ecological balance and continues evolutionary processes. The very survival of humankind depends on these core ecological functions. The indirect ecosystem services provided through biodiversity include: photosynthesis, pollination, transpiration, maintaining the balance of atmospheric gases, maintaining hydrological cycles, chemical cycling, nutrient cycling, soil creation and maintenance, climate regulation, waste management, pest control, etc. Biodiversity also has aesthetic and recreational values. Maintaining biodiversity is critical for ensuring sustainable development and human welfare. Biodiversity is thus insurance for sustainability of life on this planet. Yet, this rich diversity is being lost at a greatly accelerated rate largely because of human activities. Ecosystems are being fragmented and degraded and several species are in decline, posing a threat to biodiversity. The loss in biodiversity impoverishes us all, and weakens the ability of the living systems on which we depend, to resist growing threats, such as climate change. The loss of biodiversity is inextricably linked to and exacerbates many of the key challenges the world faces in the 21st century, from provisioning of freshwater and sustainable agricultural production, to climate change, regional conflicts and migration due to shortage of resources. A recent study on 'The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity' (TEEB) has estimated the total annual cost of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation to be between US $ 2 and US $ 4.5 trillion in 2008, which is 3.3-7.5% of the global GDP. Global concerns on loss of species and ecosystems found expression in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The CBD is one of the two agreements adopted during the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the other one being on UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

India is a mega diverse country, rich in biodiversity. With just 2.4% of the world's land area, India holds about 7-8% of the global biodiversity. So far, over 91.000 species of animals and 45,000 species of plants have been documented in the country. The wide diversity in physical features and climatic situations have resulted in diversity of ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, well ands, coastal and marine (mangroves and coral reefs ) and deserts. Among these, the forest ecosystem in particular exhibits tremendous variability ranging from temperate alpine to tropical wet evergreen forests. There are 16 major forest types in India. India is also one of the eight primary centres of origin of cultivated plants and is rich in agricultural biodiversity. India is also rich in traditional knowledge associated with biological resources. This traditional knowledge is both coded, as in ancient texts (some of them more than 3,000 years old) of Indian systems of medicines such as Ayurveda, Unani, and Sidha, and non-coded, as it exists in oral undocumented traditions. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is the nodal Ministry for the CBD to which India is a Party.

The year 2010 has been proclaimed as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The UNGA has also designated the Secretariat of CBD, as the focal point for IYB. A broad plan of action for celebrating IYB in the country has been prepared to enhance public awareness about biodiversity issues. The IYB was formally launched in India on 4th January, 2010, in which the Minister for Environment and Forests released a brochure on Achieving 2010 Biodiversity Target : India's Contributions', highlighting the measures taken by India to achieve the 2010 Biodiversity Target , adopted by COP-6 held in 2002, to significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity. A calendar for the year 2010 with 12 award-winning paintings by school children on the theme 'Our Rich Biodiversity', prepared by the National Museum of Natural History was also released on the occasion. A special session on 'Biodiversity and Sustainable Development' was organized on 7th January, 2010 during the 97th Indian Science Congress held in Thiruvananthapuram. Several awareness raising events are being planned all over the country throughout the year. The Ministry is also supporting plantation drives along the route of Queen's Baton Relay of 20.000 km covering all the 28 States and seven Union Territories on the occasion of the Commonwealth Games being held in Delhi in October 2010. To create more awareness, the Postal Department brought out two special stamps in different denominations on World Environment day,2010.