The world is a mix of a wide range of animals, plants, fungi, and even microbes like bacteria. Each of these species and organisms works together in ecosystems to preserve balance and support life, much like a complex web. Each one is dependent on the other for their existence. Every year, the International Day for Biological Diversity is observed on May 22 to raise awareness and understanding of biodiversity concerns.
Adopted in December 2000 by the UN General Assembly, the day aims to raise awareness about ongoing biodiversity issues, while also generating more understanding of the challenges required to sustain the planet’s abundant flora and fauna. The day also commemorates the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. Before the year 2000, International Day for Biological Diversity was celebrated on 29 December. Through its annual observance, United Nations General Assembly aims to emphasise the need for re-examining our relationship with the natural world and to work more efficiently to preserve our environment.
Even though it is true that we are advancing technologically every single day, it is important for people to not forget that they are dependent on a healthy ecosystem for a good and healthy life. Not preserving the ecosystems around us can lead to several issues related to food security, health, loss of livelihood and so on. The biodiverse environments of the Earth are the pillars upon which human society has been constructed.
The theme, for this year, is ‘Building a Shared Future For All Life’. The theme supports the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at the upcoming Biodiversity Conference. The theme underpins the importance of biodiversity in handling several sustainable development challenges. Biodiversity is the foundation on which nature-based solutions to climate, health issues, food and water security, and sustainable livelihoods, can be billed upon. ‘From ecosystem-based approaches to climate and/or nature-based solutions to climate, health issues, food and water security and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity is the foundation upon which we can build back better. That is the main message from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), key international instrument for sustainable development’, the UN website read.
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