Skip to content

Conservation

Celebrating biodiversity today - putting conservation into politics

by Mario Balzan 22 May 2011
Celebrating biodiversity today - putting conservation into politics

May 22 was proclaimed as the International Day of Biodiversity (IDB) by the United Nations. 2011 is also the UN International Year of Forests, and hence forest biodiversity has been chosen by the UN as the theme for this years' IDB.

Forests cover about 31% of the land on Earth and are the most biological diverse land cover of the planet Earth. They contain more than two-thirds of the world's terrestrial species and the Amazon basin alone is home to an estimated 25 per cent of all land-based species.

And yet, forests are also essential for our own species. Indeed, more than 1.6 billion people depend directly on forests for their livelihoods, while they are also home to an estimated 300 million people around the world.

At a global perspective, rainforests are a precious resource to all of us. As very well presented by the official film of the International Year of Forests, that has been produced by Yann Arthus-Bertrand for the UN, rainforests provide a number of services and yet they are under threat by increased pressure from human activities. Forest biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate, with up to 100 animal and plant species being lost every day in tropical forests.

One service provided by rainforests is climate regulation, and indeed one may think of these forests as the lungs of the planet Earth. Trees take up raw materials from their environment, namely water and carbon dioxide, which they then use for their growth.

At the same time they give off oxygen, the substance that has allowed a variety lifeforms to proliferate on our planet. Conversely, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and the main culprit of the current climate change. This gas is produced by us humans from the burning of fossil fuels, upon which our energy demands depend.

Three quarters of the world's accessible fresh water comes from forested watersheds, and impressively forests purify drinking water for two-thirds of the major cities in developing countries.

In an article to commemorate the IDB the current European commissioner for the environment, Janez Potocnik, explains that protecting nature is an ethical and a moral issue but it is also in our own interest to conserve and restore nature - otherwise we are just biting the hand that feeds us.

He goes as far as quoting a well-known Cree Indian Prophecy that says: ''only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last river has been poisoned, only after the last fish has been caught, only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.''

On the IDB, Janez Potocnik echoes the call made by the UN on declaring the year 2011 as the International Year of Forests (see video above), and calls on our leaders to protect our planets' diversity for unless conservation goes on the agenda of every minister, our generation will fail the next one.

Image Credit: © Christopher Meder


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping