of the world’s biocultural diversity at the
national level. It is a snapshot of global bio-
cultural diversity at the beginning of the
21st century, but it does not tell us how this
diversity is changing, where it is changing
faster (or more slowly) than the norm, what
phenomena are associated with those
changes. As more and better data become
available, particularly on changes in the
numbers of individuals in each language
group, religion, ethnic group, or species,
then it should be possible to expand the
index to include trend measures. If we then
use this information in concert with detailed
qualitative analyses, we will have a much
more comprehensive and accurate picture
of the state of the world’s biocultural diver-
sity.Notes(^1) Harmon, 2002; Moore et al., 2002; Sutherland, 2003.
(^2) Maffi, 2001; Harmon, 2002; Sutherland, 2003.
(^3) Harmon and Loh, 2002.
(^4) Groombridge and Jenkins, 2002.
(^5) Harmon and Loh, 2002. Data sources were as follows:
languages, Grimes (2000); religions, Barrett et al.
(2001); ethnic groups, Barrett et al.(2001); bird/mam-
mal species, Groombridge and Jenkins (2002) with
marine mammals excluded because of a lack of data;
and plant species, Groombridge and Jenkins (2002).
(^6) For example, the widely cited U.N. Human Development
Index boils down the enormously complicated factors
that determine human well-being into three simple
metrics: a long and healthy life (as measured by life
expectancy), the attainment of knowledge (as measured
by school enrollment), and enjoyment of a decent stan-
dard of living (as measured by per capita Gross
Domestic Product, GDP). These metrics inevitably over-
simplify the picture— particularly the third, per capita
GDP, which is often criticised as being a poor measure of
human welfare.
(^7) Myers et al., 2002.
(^8) Olson et al., 2001.
(^9) Stattersfield et al., 1998.
(^10) Davis et al., 1994.
(^11) CBD 2004:12.
(^12) CBD 2004.
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History, cculture aand cconservation
David Harmon([email protected]) is
executive director of the George Wright Society, a
professional association of researchers and man-
agers working in parks, protected natural areas,
and cultural sites. He also co-founded
Terralingua, an international NGO that supports
biocultural diversity.
Jonathan Loh ([email protected]) is
an independent consultant specializing in the
measurement, monitoring and evaluation of the
natural environment, biodiversity and sustainable
development. He formerly worked for WWF
International, and is editor of the WWF Living
Planet Report.