gti_abctaxa - Scope<p>Today, the so-called <a href="/urls/cbd-gti-problem" target="_new" title="Taxonomic impediment">taxonomic impediment</a>, <em>i.e.</em>
the lack of taxonomic (inclusive of genetic) information, taxonomic and
curatorial expertise and infrastructure in many parts of the world,
makes that accessing and generating taxonomic information is extremely
difficult.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>To alter this trend, the <a href="/urls/cbd-secretariat" target="_new" title="CBD International">Convention on Biological Diversity</a> (CBD) installed the <a href="/urls/cbd-int-gti" target="_new" title="Global Taxonomy Initiative">Global Taxonomy Initiative</a> (GTI) and endorsed it with an operational <a href="/urls/cbd-gti-work" target="_new" title="CBD programme of work">programme of work</a>.
Its objectives are to remedy the knowledge gaps in our taxonomic
system, increase the number of well-trained taxonomists and curators,
optimise the infrastructure needed to do sound taxonomic research,
significantly improve access to taxonomic collections, data and
metadata, and, thereby, to improve decision-making in conservation of
biodiversity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>While it is incontestable that the legally-binding GTI programme
has, since its official launch in 1998, significantly increased the
political and scientific preparedness of parties to augment standing
taxonomic and collection management capacity, the velocity with which
this has happened has remained disappointingly low.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It is this observation that has inspired the Belgian National Focal Point for the GTI to construct <em>Abc Taxa</em>,
a toll-free taxonomic information highway between experts and novices.
It is believed that this artery will speed up the construction of
taxonomic capacity, as it does not evoke the expensive, long-term
teacher-apprentice relationships previously utilised to install
operational, high-quality taxonomists and collection managers.</p>2011-10-14T15:15:15Ztag:www.abctaxa.be,2011-10-14:/scopehttp://www.abctaxa.be/misc_/CHM2/Site.gifNFP-GTIgti_abctaxa