The International Day for Biodiversity (IDB): A Time to rethink our relationship with irreplaceable Biodiversity
Every year, on May 22, the world celebrates the International Day for Biodiversity (IDB) to raise global awareness of the importance of the diverse forms of life on our planet.
This day commemorates the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was signed on May 22, 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Biodiversity is the foundation of life on Earth. It encompasses the variety of species, their genetic differences, and the ecosystems they form.
Biodiversity provides us with food, water, air, medicine, clothing, and sustainable livelihoods. When we damage this interconnected web of life, we also endanger our own future.
In Rwanda, a country of a thousand hills, biodiversity holds immense value. From the rainforests of Nyungwe and the volcanic mountains home to mountain gorillas, to savanna regions like Akagera National Park and the numerous lakes and rivers, Rwanda’s ecosystems are pillars of both life and economic growth.
The Rwandan government’s commitment to environmental protection has played a crucial role in preserving this biodiversity.
However, the planet is currently facing an unprecedented biodiversity crisis. A report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) indicates that nearly one million species are at risk of extinction, primarily due to human activities.
The main drivers include deforestation, climate change, plastic and other forms of pollution, overfishing, and illegal wildlife trade.
In Rwanda, environmental degradation from expanding agriculture, threats to endangered wildlife, and pollution in lakes are creating long-term challenges for aquatic life despite ongoing conservation efforts.
Globally, the Amazon and Congo rainforests, lakes, and oceans are threatened by climate shifts, land pollution, and unsustainable mining activities. When species go extinct, it’s as if we are evicting the providers of food, clean water, air, and natural protection from our home.
Still, progress is being made. In 2022, a new international commitment called the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was launched, aiming to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
This plan includes goals like protecting at least 30% of land and marine areas worldwide, restoring degraded ecosystems, reducing plastic pollution, and safeguarding the rights of local and Indigenous communities.
Rwanda has taken significant steps toward these goals. This includes the creation of new protected areas like Gishwati-Mukura National Park, banning plastic bags since 2008, public education on environmental conservation, and developing eco-tourism programs.
Private companies, NGOs, and the media have also joined efforts to protect life on Earth.
Nonetheless, more action is needed such as increasing public awareness in schools and the media, encouraging community-led conservation, strengthening environmental laws, promoting traditional and sustainable farming practices, and supporting research on rare species.
Rwanda is among a few African nations with a solid biodiversity management plan, but threats such as climate change, urban expansion, and environmentally harmful mining indicate that the journey ahead remains challenging.
Everyone has a role to play, journalists, farmers, teachers, students, researchers, and policymakers.
The International Day for Biodiversity is not just a day of celebration; it is a moment to reflect on how we can live in harmony with nature and pass on a healthy planet to future generations. It is a call to recognize that we cannot thrive without protecting the life forms that surround us.
If we want a safe, life-sustaining Earth, we must respect, understand, and protect it. As this year’s theme puts it: “Be Part of the Plan” we are all urged to play an active role in safeguarding what we still have before it’s gone forever.
A 2019 report by the United Nations revealed that around one million species of animals and plants are at risk of extinction.
The report states that environmental degradation is happening at an unprecedented pace in human history.
It emphasizes that this crisis can be reversed, but only through “transformative changes” in how we interact with nature.
This global assessment, prepared over three years and based on over 15,000 sources, spans 1,800 pages and was developed by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
A 40-page summary, titled “Summary for Policymakers,” was released to highlight the most urgent findings. It stands as the strongest warning yet about humanity’s treatment of our shared home—Earth.
The summary states that while humans have always impacted the environment, the past 50 years have seen the most significant damage.
Dr. Kate Brauman of the University of Minnesota, one of the report’s authors, emphasized that the required change isn’t just about governments or local authorities; individuals also have a responsibility.
“We can lead healthier lives by eating more diverse diets that focus on plant-based foods and improve the planet’s health by farming in more sustainable ways,” she said.
Since 1970, the world’s population has doubled, and international trade has increased tenfold.
To meet the needs for food, clothing, and fuel, forests have been cleared at an alarming rate, further endangering the planet’s biodiversity.
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