Each May 22nd commemorates the International Day for Biological Diversity, with the aim of making the population aware of the wide variety of species that inhabit the Earth, their natural patterns and importance. It is a date that prompts us to think and act, as we go through a crisis of biodiversity loss.
He Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) emerges as one of the agreements to achieve sustainable development after the 1992 Rio Summit and is the first to state that biological diversity is a common concern of humanity and an integral part of the development process. is satisfied by 196 countriesamong which is the Argentinaand entered into force on 1993 with 3 very specific objectives: conserving biological diversity, the sustainable use of the components of diversity and distributing the benefits of the use of genetic resources in a fair and equitable manner.
More than a decade later, in 2010, the Strategic Plan for Biological Diversity (2011-2020), known for establishing the 20 Aichi Goals by 2020 and having a vision for 2050 to achieve the goal of living in harmony with nature.
April 22 is Earth Day and you can still catch up
Based on this plan, each member country had to carry out its National Biodiversity Strategy (ENB) and its corresponding Action Plans. From December 19, 2022, the adoption of the new Kunming-Montreal Agreement, which commits the world to halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity by 2030.
Among its main objectives is the conserve at least 30% of the world’s land, freshwater and oceansrespecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities and recognizing the contributions of indigenous and traditional territories.
What is Biodiversity
Biological diversity or biodiversity refers to all species of plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms that live in a given space, their genetic harvest, the ecosystems of which they are a part, and the landscapes or regions where the ecosystems are located.
In addition to the intrinsic value that it possesses by the mere fact of existing, the biological diversity is related to many aspects of our lives: our health, our economy, our well-being, our livelihoods and development.
It offers services of economic and social importance and is the basis for the operation of companies. These services include, for example, climate and water regulation, disease and pest control, provision of food, raw materials and drinking water, air purification, as well as cultural benefits.
The challenge is to live in harmony with nature and reduce the main threats
Scientific evidence shows that the crisis of nature and its consequences have accelerated. He WWF’s Living Planet Report 2022 reveals an average decline of 69% in wildlife populations monitored over the 48-year period from 1970 to 2018.
Biodiversity in Latin America
The region of Latin America and the Caribbean is the one with the greatest decline in monitored wildlife populations worldwide, with a average decline of 94% between 1970 and 2018. Worldwide, the report indicates that the main causes of the decline of these populations are habitat degradation and loss, exploitation, the introduction of invasive species, pollution, climate change and disease.
The report also warns that humanity’s increasing destruction of nature is having catastrophic impacts not just on wildlife, but on human health, food security, and every other aspect of our lives. These data are worrying and show us, once again, that it is necessary change the way we produce and consume, the technology we use, and our economic and financial systemsto avoid the decline of nature and the deterioration of the health of the planet.
In it International Day for Biological Diversityfrom Argentine Wildlife Foundation we reinforce the urgency of concrete actions that not only stop the loss of biodiversity, but also direct its recovery by 2030. Governments must promote the necessary transformative change if we want to correct the course and ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for people and the environment. planet .
Pollination: Diversity for bees
There is much to do in Argentina in this regard. One of the needs is the sanction of two fundamental laws for the conservation of biodiversity: one of Biological Diversity, which establish minimum standards for their conservation and sustainable use. and another of Protected areas. The work to achieve these laws should be part of the new Action Plan 2025-2030 that Argentina must generate with the prompt update of its National Biodiversity Strategy.
The greatest challenge is to transform the commitments assumed into concrete, tangible and measurable actions. This will allow us to achieve the expected effects before the consequences are very serious and, in some cases, without turning back.
*Director of conservation of Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina
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