18 February 2008, Rome - During the opening session of the thirteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice of the Convention on Biological Diversity (18-22 February), Rome has put its weight behind the 2010 biodiversity target by signing the Countdown 2010 declaration. Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, Italian Minister of Environment, Land and Sea along with Aldo Cosentino (R), Countdown 2010 Ambassador and Director General for Nature Protection welcomed Dario Esposito (center, signing), Councilor for Environmental and Agricultural Policy of the Municipality of Rome in making this bold step and thereby supporting the Italian Ministry in their endeavors towards 2010.