2010 Theme: Biodiversity,
Development and Poverty Alleviation
On 22 May 2010, the world celebrates the
International Day for Biological Diversity
(IBD) under the theme 'Biodiversity, Development
and Poverty Alleviation'.
The International Day
for Biological Diversity will be celebrated
in 11 countries around the world – from
Tunisia to the Philippines and from India
to the United Kingdom.
This year's event is
a unique opportunity to raise public awareness
on the importance of biodiversity for sustainable
development and the attainment of the Millennium
Development Goals.
The theme is particularly
relevant in this 2010 International Year
of Biodiversity – the target year for the
2010 Biodiversity Target.
In 2002, Parties to
the Convention on Biological Diversity committed
to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction
of the current rate of biodiversity loss
as a contribution to poverty alleviation
and to the benefit of all life on Earth.
The 2010 Biodiversity
Target was later incorporated as a new target
under Goal 7 of the MDGs (to 'Ensure environmental
sustainability').
However, a report by
UNEP researchers published on 29 April showed
that the 2010 target has not been achieved,
and that world leaders have instead overseen
an alarming decline in biodiversity since
1970.
The report, published
in the leading journal Science, says biodiversity
is still being lost as fast as ever and
that the pressures on species, habitats
and ecosystems are continuing to increase.
Indeed, since 1970 animal
populations have reduced by 30 per cent,
the area of mangroves and sea grasses by
20 per cent and the coverage of living corals
by 40 per cent.
The findings are the
first assessment of how the targets made
through the 2002 Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) have not been met, and are
an alarm call about the urgency of taking
action for biodiversity.
Protecting biodiversity
is the basis of human well-being, yet biodiversity
is being threatened by development choices
that ignore its full value to us all, and
particularly to the poorest. Reversing this
negative trend is not only possible, but
essential to human well-being.
Global responses to
biodiversity loss and the strategies for
its conservation need to be reinforced and
re-tooled to reverse the current trend of
continued loss.
The conservation, sustainable
use, and equitable sharing of the benefits
of biodiversity require integration across
policy reforms and institutional strengthening.
Country leadership and
increased support from development cooperation
are critical for the implementation of the
Convention on Biological Diversity.
