An International Biodiversity Observation Year

The International Geophysical Year (IGY), which took place between July 195 7 and December 1958, helped us to rethink the world. At a time when there w as a major paradigm shift In our understanding of the physical world, the i nternational collaboration of the IGY helped to reset the discipline. The i nternational Biodiversity Observation Year (BOY) is now occurring at a time when our dependence on, and understanding of, biodiversity is being acknow ledged as a paradigm shift in our present view of the world. Although the b enefits of IGY were initially Intellectual with practical effects remaining unknown until many years later, the benefits of greater knowledge of biodi versity will support efforts towards sustainability and affect the quality of life, both now and in the future. By providing the framework for Interna tional collaborations between scientists involved in every aspect of life o n Earth, IBOY has the potential to redefine our current understanding of bi odiversity in a manner similar to how IGY helped redefine the geophysical w orld.