The Living Planet Index (LPI) is an indicator of change in global biodiversity based on change in population abundance of vertebrate species from all around the world. Biodiversity is perhaps most widely understood at the species level, so as a measure of trends in species abundance the LPI has a high degree of resonance with decision makers and the public and links clearly to ecological process and ecosystem function. The global LPI database can be disaggregated for subsets of data to:

• show trends in species abundance for particular taxonomic groups; • show trends in species abundance for particular habitats or biomes; • identify regions and ecosystems where the abundance of species is changing most rapidly;
• explore trends in abundance of species impacted by different threat processes;
• monitor trends in species listed on conventions such as CITES or CMS.

This guidance document is one of a series produced with the support of the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (2010 BIP) to assist Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) track their progress towards the CBD's 2010 Target. The Living Planet Index (LPI) has been selected as one of the indicators suitable for assessing progress towards and communicating the 2010 Target at a global level.