International Day for Biological Diversity
The United Nations proclaimed 22th of May as the International Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
Please read Wilderness is Biodiversity
The Convention of Biological Diversity
The entry into force of the Convention of Biological Diversity dates back to 29th December 1993. This Convention is an international legally-binding treaty with three main goals: conservation of biodiversity; sustainable use of biodiversity; fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. Its overall objective is to encourage actions, which will lead to a sustainable future. To date, it unites 193 Parties.
In December 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted 22th of May as the
International Day for Biological Diversity, to commemorate the the 22th May 1992 of the Nairobi Final Act of the Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Theme of 2019
2019’s theme for the International Day for Biological Diversity is “Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health”. This topic aims to leverage knowledge and spread awareness of the dependency of our food systems, nutrition, and health on biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. As biodiversity plays a crucial role for the food and agricultural sectors, the focus this year is thus put on biodiversity as a key catalyst to transforming food systems and improving human health. Biodiversity plays a crucial role for the food and agricultural sectors as it is pointed out by the detailed assessment report published by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), addressing the impact of biodiversity loss on our food resources.
The theme also celebrates the diversity provided by our natural systems for human existence and well-being on Earth while contributing to other Sustainable Development Goals. This includes climate change mitigation and adaptation, ecosystems restoration and cleaner water, among others.
For more information on this year’s events, please visit the CBD website.
