news details |
|
|
| Our Solutions are in Nature | | |
Dr. Banarsi Lal and Dr. Pawan Sharma
Every year 22nd of May is celebrated as the International Day for Biological Diversity across the globe to increase the understanding and awareness on biodiversity issues. Each year, the International Day for Biodiversity focuses on a particular theme. The theme of International Day for Biological Diversity 2020 is: “Our Solutions are in Nature”. There is dire need to re-examine our relationship with nature. Although we are having numerous technological advancements but still we are completely dependent on healthy ecosystem for our food, clothes, shelter, health, water, medicines, fuel, energy etc. This year slogan “Our Solutions are in Nature” stresses solidarity, hope and the importance of working together to build the future of life in harmony with nature.2020 year can be said as the year of challenges, opportunities and solutions.Covid-19 pandemic has spread across the globe. All the nations need to work together to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and recover from it. It seems from the year 2020 that there is dire need to conserve the biodiversity for the benefits of life on the Earth. This year we can celebrate the Biological Diversity Day by using the digital media campaigns, webinars and sending different videos, pictures, messages etc. through the Watsapp, Facebook etc. This day is the United Nations sanctioned International Day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. On 22nd of May, 1992, the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted by the United Nations at a conference in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2001, the International Day for Biological Diversity has been celebrated each year on this date across the globe.
It is fact that nature acts as the solution of our many solutions. Nature is closely associated with the climate change, food security and health. Biodiversity is badly affected due to our short-sighted activities including infrastructure development, chemical farming, deforestation, mining etc. All these activities have degraded the ecosystem and have created the pandemic like situations. All the nations across the globe are endevouring to end the COVID-19 pandemic. There is need to work together for the resilient and sustainable global economy. The exploitation of renewable and non-renewable energy resources and rapid increase in the urbanization are severely affecting the biodiversity. Sustainable development is the only way to mitigate the needs of our present and future generations. It also ensures the health of the planet Earth. It has been observed that around 25 per cent of all animals and plants species are threatened with extinction. On this particular day awareness about preserving the endangered habitats is created among the people. Biodiversity is the foundation for our food and health and plays a key catalyst to transforming food systems and improving human health.
A wide range of events are organized globally to increase the understanding of the important role of biodiversity for our present and future generations. On this day various schools, colleges, universities, newspapers, radio, television, internet etc. disseminate the information to the people especially on biodiversity. Exhibitions and seminars are arranged for the students, professional and general public, movies on biodiversity are telecasted, trees are planted, literature on biodiversity is distributed, endangered species are preserved, competitive programmes among the children on biodiversity are organised etc. This day is a global observance. Biological diversity encompasses the variety of all life on the earth.
The biodiversity we observe today is the outcome of over 3.5 billion years of evolutionary history, shaped by the natural processes. Biodiversity is the foundation for the life and for the essential services provided by ecosystems. It plays as a key catalyst to transform our food system system and thus improves the human health. It underpins peoples’ livelihoods and sustainable development in all realms of socio-economical activity, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism etc. Biodiversity is a global asset. Biodiversity forms the web of life of which we are an integral part and upon which we are fully dependent. Biological diversity is the natural biotic capital of the earth which affects all of us. Human beings derive the supply of food, medicines, energy and many industrial products from biological resources. At Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992 state and government leaders agreed on a strategy for sustainable development at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as "The Earth Summit". Sustainable development is a way to meet the needs of people all over the world and ensuring that planet earth will remain healthy and viable for future generations. One of the most important agreements reached during the Earth Summit was the Convention on Biological Diversity.
India is one of the richest nations in the world in terms of biological diversity. India has about 15,000 species of flowering plants, 969 species of birds, 389 species of reptiles and 317 species of mammals. India has relatively large number of frogs, salamanders and their kith and kins. Brazil is the most biologically diverse nation in the world. India stands 10th in terms of biological diversity. Some parts of the country are very rich due to a variety of natural causes in biological diversity and some are less. Two of India’s mountain ranges, the Eastern Himalaya and the Western Ghats have been designated among the world’s eighteen hot spots of biodiversity. The Eastern Himalayas have around 35,000 endemic species of higher plants, 20 endemic species of reptiles and 25 endemic species of amphibians. The Western Ghats have 1,600 endemic species of flowering plants, seven endemic species of mammals, 91 endemic species of reptiles and 84 endemic species of amphibians. Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the third most significant area of biodiversity in India with 144 species of flowering plants and 75 species of land snails that do not occur elsewhere in the world. During the last 100 years, more than 90 per cent of crops varieties have been disappeared from the farmers’ field. Half of the breeds of many domestic animals have been lost and all the world’s 17 main fishing grounds are now being fished at or above their sustainable limits. Local food production system is vanishing day-by-day. The loss of diverse diets is directly associated with the diseases such as diabetes, malnutrition, obesity etc.
Global concern about loss of species and ecosystems found expression in the International Convention on Biological Diversity. The International Convention on Biological Diversity, one of the key agreements adopted during the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, is the first comprehensive global agreement which addresses all aspects relating to biodiversity.
This Convention, which has near universal membership 193 countries as its parties, sets out commitments for maintaining the world's ecological underpinnings, while pursuing economic development. India is the party to the CBD. The Convention, while reaffirming sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources, establishes the major goals such as the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources. Loss of biodiversity across the globe has increased alarmingly and many wildlife and plant species are on the verge of extinction. Governments and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) need to make extra efforts to protect the biodiversity. We should understand that biodiversity is the foundation for the life and for the essential services provided by ecosystems. It ensures people’s livelihoods and sustainable development in all realms of socio-economic activity, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
