The wide diversity of patterns reflects a variety of influences, ranging from Arabic calligraphy, European bouquets and Chinese phoenixes to Japanese cherry blossoms and Indian or Persian peacocks.

UNESCO: Culture

As patterns of diversity between one taxonomic group and another do not always align well with each other, conservation priorities may well overemphasise protecting familiar species.

ECONOMIST: Green.view: Finger on the spot | The

Patterns of species diversity are biased: they are based on the species we know about, which tend to be large, visible animals like butterflies, birds and mammals.

ECONOMIST: Green.view: Finger on the spot | The

Key themes of SD in the region include among other things poverty alleviation, citizenship, peace, ethics, responsibility in local and global contexts, democracy and governance, justice, security, human rights, health, gender equity, cultural diversity, rural and urban development, economy, production and consumption patterns, corporate social responsibility, environmental protection, climate change, prevention and adaptation, natural resource management, biological and landscape diversity.

UNESCO: Education