INTERNATIONAL Biodiversity Day is observed on May 22 every year and the day is important in raising awareness about biodiversity and in deciding what to do about it. The day was set for December 29, 1993, but the UN General Assembly rescheduled it for May 22, 2002, after many countries stopped celebrating the day in the last week of December due to various holidays. Originally, May 22, 1992, was recognised as International Day by the Convention on Biodiversity in Nairobi, Kenya.
International Biodiversity Day falls under the UN Sustainable Development Goals of the post-2015 development agenda. Biodiversity issues include sustainable agriculture, desertification, land degradation and drought, water and sanitation, health and sustainable development, power, science, technology and innovation, knowledge sharing and capacity-building, urban resilience and adaptability, sustainable transportation, climate change and disaster risk reduction, oceans and seas, and forests.
In the world we live in, every animal is dependent on each other and each species has a different role to play in this ecosystem. Every living thing is important to the environment in one way or another. Therefore, in the interest of maintaining the balance of the living world and protecting the environment, all living beings must be allowed to live. Humans are not the only cause of the extinction of other species; if their activities continue in this direction, then we will actually move towards the extinction of mankind.
Biodiversity is the whole living organism of the world, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, their genes, and the ecosystem composed of them. From the arid deserts to the forests, from the snow-capped mountains to the depths of the ocean, many species have survived without losing their natural balance. According to biologists, biodiversity is water, land and everything else in the environment.
All living things on earth, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, are essentially genes and their ecosystems. At three different stages, these are considered: hereditary diversity, species diversity and ecological diversity. Biodiversity helps to prevent the extinction of animals and helps to maintain the balance of nature. At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992, representatives of more than 150 countries signed an agreement on the conservation of biodiversity. Bangladesh is also one of the signatories to this agreement. The total number of species in the biodiversity of Bangladesh is more than twelve thousand and the government is committed to protecting them.
Biodiversity plays a special role in maintaining ecological stability. Therefore, as the diversity of species increases or the number of species increases, so does the balance and stability of the ecosystem. Extinction of any one plant or animal species in the ecosystem means disruption in the food chain associated with the plant or animal species concerned. Therefore, the importance of biodiversity in maintaining the overall balance of the ecosystem is impeccable and immense.
Man is directly dependent on nature for his food, clothing, shelter, medicine, etc. It is because of biodiversity that man is able to meet his growing food needs from nature. Not only do humans get food from a wide variety of plant species, but they also get medicine, wood, paper, fibre, rubber, glue, resin, tannin, flowers, etc. Similarly, they get fish, meat, dairy products, skins, feathers, wool, lacquer, honey, etc from such diverse animal species. Again, through the controlled use of different germs, different industrial products can be produced. In a word, people are directly or indirectly dependent on biodiversity for food and health.
The biodiversity of any country is the wealth of that country. Different species of creatures make nature diverse and beautiful. Samples of these resources are stored in zoos, museums and botanical gardens to introduce them to the general public. As a result, aesthetic beauty and educational value increase. One study found that freshwater mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have declined at an average rate of 4 per cent per year since 1970. Humans are increasing the risk of climate change and biodiversity. As a result, the risk of genetic (contagious disease from other animals) diseases like Covid-19 is increasing.
Biodiversity is essential for the overall conservation and functioning of the biosphere to prevent environmental pollution. Plants play a vital role in maintaining the supply of oxygen to the environment and in causing rainfall. Natural reservoirs, including rivers, canals, beels, ponds, haors and baors, play a vital role in maintaining the balance of the environment and conserving biodiversity. In addition, wetlands are important for keeping the environment cool, preventing floods during the monsoon season, reducing waterlogging in the city, meeting water demand and treating waste.
But people are filling the wetlands as they wish. In this country, there is no shortage of rivers, canals, beels, ponds, ditches and haors, but a lack of conservation. One wetland after another is being filled across the country. However, according to the 鈥楴atural Reservoir Conservation Act-2000鈥�, it is completely illegal to fill any pond, reservoir, river or canal. Again, according to the Bangladesh Environmental Protection Act (2010), filling of ponds or reservoirs by any person, organisation, government or semi-government, or even an autonomous organisation or privately owned by them without the national essential interest is strictly prohibited. But it is a matter of regret that many influential individuals and organisations are destroying the balance of the environment by destroying the natural wetlands in violation of the law. This has had a long-term negative impact on wetland-dependent people and biodiversity.
The Sundarbans is the single largest mangrove forest in the world, located along the Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans, rich in biodiversity, is one of the most popular destinations on the map of the world. Those who do research on this forest say that the Sundarbans is one of the forces that protect biodiversity and the environment. However, the existence of the Sundarbans is under threat due to the sinking of oil tanks and inland water, pollution of the environment, poaching and the construction of industries in the forest areas.
Biodiversity conservation is recognised in the constitution as a fundamental state policy of Bangladesh. The Wildlife Conservation Ordinance was enacted in early 1974, after independence. Bangladesh is one of the few countries that have enacted laws to implement the International Convention on Biodiversity. In 2017, the government passed the 鈥楤angladesh Biological Diversity Act鈥�. Bangladesh has declared more than 5 per cent of its territory and about 5 per cent of its maritime area as 鈥榓t risk鈥� and protected.
Every living thing has the full right to survive on this earth. This idea was recognised in the 1992 United Nations Declaration on the Nature of the World. So it is the duty of each and every one of us to save the lives of every species. This requires taking the necessary measures and making people aware of the importance of biodiversity conservation across the world.
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Md Zillur Rahaman is a banker and columnist.
