29 March 2007, Oslo, Norway. Today, Norway formalized its adhesion to Countdown 2010 by signing the Countdown 2010 Declaration. Having supported the initiative since 2004, the Norwegian Minister for the Environment Helen Bjørnøy reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010 during a visit of IUCN’s Director General Julia Marton-Lefèvre.

Helen Bjørnøy underlined the importance of IUCN’s Countdown 2010 initiative which brings together more than 200 partners ranging from national to local governments, from non-governmental organizations to businesses.

“It is essential to get all sectors whose activities have an impact on nature committed to the 2010 biodiversity target.” stresses Helen Bjørnøy. “With its partners and members, IUCN and Countdown 2010 are in a good position to enhance the dialogue and cooperation between the environment and non-environment sectors.”

Julia Marton-Lefèvre welcomed this renewed Norwegian commitment and noted that indeed “unprecedented efforts from all stakeholders are needed for realizing the 2010 target. Countdown 2010 provides an ideal vehicle for joint action, which will support governments in moving closer to the target”.

“The speed of the extinction is very worrying,” Bjørnøy said. “The biological diversity is our basis of existence, and we are highly committed to stop this loss before 2010. Though the target is very ambitious, we need to increase our efforts to realize it.”