A network of groups, with the World Conservation Union – South America (UICN-Sur) at the fore, is convening an Internet debate in the region to set up actions aimed at preserving biodiversity. The Countdown 2010 E-Forum will be open Feb. 21 to Mar. 2 at www.countdown2010.net.

“We want to raise awareness in South America about the Convention on Biological Diversity, whose mission is a significant reduction of biodiversity loss by 2010,” María Laura Piñeiros, of UICN-Sur, told Tierramérica.

With the forum, “we are looking for updates on the actions in each country to comply with that goal, and identify priority actions in the region,” she said.