In December 2000, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly chose 22 May as the international day for biodiversity to commemorate the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The CBD, adopted on 22 May 1992, was opened for signature on 5 June 1992 at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (the Rio ‘Earth Summit’). On 29 December 1993 – 90 days after its 30th ratification, the CBD entered into force.
The three objectives of the CBD are: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources.
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity -a contraction of biological diversity- is the variability among living organisms from all sources: terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems, as well as the ecological complexes of which they are part, including diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.
In other words, biodiversity collectively describes the living organisms that inhabit the earth, along with the interactions amongst them.
Human societies cannot exist without biodiversity. The vast array of organisms, ecosystems and ecological processes provide oxygen, clean water, food, as well as regulate the climate and protect against floods.
Simply put, biodiversity keeps us alive.
This year, parties to the CBD plan to begin work on a new action plan to ensure that by 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used.
See the Executive Secretary of the CBD’s statement to mark the day here.
For more on the CBD, see here.
