The concept of sustaining biodiversity means conserving biological resources so that they last indefinately. According to the manual on Global Biodiversity Strategy (produced by World Resources Institute (WRI), The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1992) the development of national and international policy frameworks that foster the sustainable use of biological resources and maintenance of biodiversity are important conservation objectives.

Conditions and incentives for effective conservation by local communities need to be created. Biodiversity conservation cannot be successful unless local communities receive their fair share of benefits from and assume a greater role in managing local biological resources.

The tools for conserving biological diversity must also be strengthened and applied more broadly. These tools include protected areas, seed banks, botanic gardens etc. The conservation tools cannot serve their purpose if they are underfunded and understaffed. The human capacity for conserving and using biodiversity sustainably must be greatly strengthened, particularly in developing countries. Conservation can only succeed if people understand the distribution and value of biodiversity, understand how it influences their own lives and aspirations, and learn to manage areas to meet human needs without diminishing biological diversity. Finally, conservation action must be catalyzed through international cooperation and national planning.