WORLD BIODIVERSITY DAY 2021



Biodiversity refers to the biological variety and variability of life on Earth. It is a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level. Biological resources and the global biodiversity that shapes our environment not only the various species of plants, animals and microorganisms around us but also the genetic diversity of each of them, as well as the great variety of ecosystems that makes up our planet.

 

History

The United Nations has proclaimed May 22 International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. When first created by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in late 1993, 29 December, was designated the International Day for Biological Diversity. In December 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted 22 May as IDB, to commemorate the adoption of the text of the Convention on 22 May 1992 by the Nairobi Final Act of the Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity. This was partly done because it was difficult for many countries to plan and carry out suitable celebrations for the date of 29 December, given the number of holidays that coincide around that time of year.



Present Context

Global pandemic due to covid-19 clearly shows the resilience of nature and importance of environmental components. When human beings are locked up into their house, wild lives were seen walking in streets of the city and roaming in the parks. A study from March 2021 found that hedgehog roadkill rates in Poland were more than 50% lower compared with pre-pandemic years, saving tens of thousands of hedgehogs in Poland alone. It shows how we’re dominating the nature, exploiting their habitats and threatening their existence. However, many of the immediate positive effects of the pandemic on wildlife were seen, scenario on rural areas is quite different. People who have lost their employment in cities are returning to their rural homes, further increasing the pressure on natural resources. Meanwhile, there are reports of increased deforestation, illegal hunting, poaching. This pandemic has made us to realize the value of the nature’s perpetual free gifts. The most precious and free gift of nature: Oxygen. A human breathes about 9.5 tonnes of air in a year; to provide it 7 or 8 trees is required for per person.

The wisest creature of mother earth: Human beings are the most responsible for environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. We all living creatures share common natural resources.



https://www.cbd.int/idb/

https://www.sciencefocus.com/

 

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