BIOPAT is non-profit-making association set up to raise funds, through donation, for use in studying
biodiversity
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
, systematically describing it, and supporting its preservation.
History
BIOPAT was founded in 1999 by an international group of scientists and institutions and sponsored by the
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (English: ''German Agency for International Cooperation GmbH''), often simply shortened to GIZ, is the main German development agency. It is headquartered in Bonn and Eschb ...
(GIZ). The concept was initially proposed by Dr. Frank Glaw and Dr. Jörn Köhler in 1998 based on an idea of Professor
Gerhard Haszprunar
Gerhard Haszprunar (born 25 February 1957 in Vienna) is Austrian zoologist and malacologist.[Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is a non-governmental organization headquartered at the Bronx Zoo in New York City, that aims to conserve the world's largest wild places in 14 priority regions. Founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological ...](_blank)
, the
Audubon Society
The National Audubon Society (Audubon; ) is an American non-profit environmental organization dedicated to conservation of birds and their habitats. Located in the United States and incorporated in 1905, Audubon is one of the oldest of such organ ...
, and
Purdue University
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
. It has also been the subject of a paper by the United Nations Environmental Programme
Funding and accountability
The majority of BIOPAT’s income comes from benefactors who provide funds in exchange for a species being named after them by scientists. 50% of this money goes to support taxonomy and biodiversity research, the other half is used in support of nature conservation projects. All members of the Association, including the Scientific Advisory Council, provide their service on a volunteer basis and are not compensated.
To date, over 120 species have been sponsored by BIOPAT.
BIOPAT adheres to the
International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGO) Commitment to Accountability Charter.
Image gallery
Examples of species named through the BIOPAT initiative:
Image: Dendropsophus joannae.jpg, Dendropsophus joannae
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:BIOPAT - Patrons for Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Environmental organisations based in Germany
Non-profit organisations based in North Rhine-Westphalia
Sustainability organizations
1999 establishments in Germany