2010 : International Year of Biodiversity

The United Nations has declared 2010, The International Year of Biodiversity.

Check out :
http://www.cbd.int/2010/welcome/
http://www.cbd.int/
http://www.countdown2010.net/
http://www.countdown2010.net/year-biodiversity/action-plan-for-iyb
http://www.countdown2010.net/biodiversity/the-2010-biodiversity-target
http://www.countdown2010.net/byse/

See an article on the The Red List, which lists 17,000 species on the verge of extinction :
http://www.earthfiles.com/news.php?ID=1645&category=Environment

The Red List here :
http://www.iucnredlist.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IUCN_Red_List .