WORLD BIODIVERSITY DAY The UN proclaimed May 22 as International Day for Biological Diversity or World Biodiversity Day. This year also coincides with the Biodiversity Target adopted by the parties to Convention on Biological Diversity thus the whole of 2010 is dedicated for celebration as International Year of Biodiversity Debkumar Bhadra, Shore Point, Bamboo Flat, S Andaman, Email : debkumar_bhadra@yahoo.com It is estimated that there exist about 5 to 50 million distinct biological species on earth. These varied lifeforms, the places they live in and the interactions between them constitute Biodiversity or Biological Diversity. Places lying partly or entirely in the tropics account for 60-70 % of the world’s biodiversity, such places are called Megadiverse Nations. India owing to its position in the tropical and subtropical latitudes is also rich in biodiversity. The Himalayas and the Western Ghats feature among the world’s eighteen ‘hotspots’ of biodiversity. The third significant area of biodiversity in India is the Island ecosystem of Andaman & Nicobar. It is pertinent to know that interaction between the constituents of Biodiversity provide us with a number of essential natural services such as pollination, food production, air quality, water purification, soil fertility, climate regulation, carbon storage etc. But, since the arrival of humans there has been mass reduction in biodiversity of plants & animals including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, arthropods etc; and still continuing in the tropics specially rainforests. In response, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) convened the working group of experts. Its work culminated on 22 May 1992 with the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The Convention represents a step towards the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and a fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. It was opened for signature on 5 June 1992 at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio "Earth Summit"). CBD is now an international treaty having near-universal participation, with 191 Parties worldwide. India ratified and became party to the convention on February 18th 1994. The UN General Assembly proclaimed May 22 as International Day for Biological Diversity (earlier celebrated on Dec 29). The theme for this year being : Biodiversity, Development and Poverty Alleviation. This year also coincides with the 2010 Biodiversity Target adopted by the parties to CBD. The UN General Assembly thus declared whole of the year 2010 as International Year of Biodiversity; a global campaign to help people understand how crucial biodiversity is, and to help people discover the connections between themselves and the natural world.
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment indicates climate change is likely to become the driver of biodiversity loss by the end of the century. Current estimates predict increase in temperatures of 1.4°C - 5.8°C by 2100. This will affect species in several ways such as : changes in distribution; increased extinction rates; changes in reproduction timings; and changes in length of growing seasons for plants. Migration of plant species to higher altitude to combat climate change has been reported from Swiss Alps. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources documented extinction of 875 species during 1500-2009. The rich variety of life has always had to deal with a changing climate, but over a period of time. The present change is so rapid that many species find it difficult to adapt fast enough, thus face extinction threat. Biodiversity can help reduce the effects of climate change and contribute to human and economic well being particularly in the sectors like fisheries, agriculture, forestry, and in tourism. It is therefore crucial to conserve biodiversity, preserve habitats so as to facilitate the longterm adaptation of biodiversity, improve our understanding of climate change and biodiversity linkages, and fully integrate biodiversity considerations into mitigation and adaptation plans. If the threats of biodiversity loss and climate change are tackled together, the prospects for adapting to the challenges will be much improved. This constitutes the overall message for this year’s celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity. For us, May 22 is just another opportunity to appreciate the contributions of nature in sustaining life and making it bountiful. It’s time to behave responsibly towards nature & its resources. Thank you nature, thank you for everything.
References : Wikipedia, the online Encyclopedia, www.cbd.int/2010