Importance to biodiversity conservation
Although one of the prominent findings of genomics is how much is shared between organisms, conversely, it also offers a way to look at how organisms (both between and within a species) differ from one another at the most basic level.
Understanding this diversity will enable us to protect it better
Knowing where "hot spots" of biodiversity are can improve the efficiency of conservation work
This new knowledge may also help find new ways to make use of biodiversity, e.g. new cures for cancer and other illnesses