The International Day for Biological Diversity (or World Biodiversity Day) is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. It is currently held on May 22.
The International Day for Biological Diversity falls within the scope of the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals. In this larger initiative of international cooperation, the topic of biodiversity concerns stakeholders in sustainable agriculture; desertification, land degradation and drought; water and sanitation; health and sustainable development; energy; science, technology and innovation, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building; urban resilience and adaptation; sustainable transport; climate change and disaster risk reduction; oceans and seas; forests; vulnerable groups including indigenous peoples; and food security. The critical role of biodiversity in sustainable development was recognized in a Rio+20 outcome document, “The World We Want: A Future for All”.
From its creation by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in 1993 until 2000, it was held on December 29 to celebrate the day the Convention on Biological Diversity went into effect. On December 20, 2000, the date was shifted to commemorate the adoption of the Convention on May 22, 1992, at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, and partly to avoid the many other holidays that occur in late December.
Themes + Year Themes2000Dedicated to forest biodiversity2003Biodiversity and poverty alleviation – challenges for sustainable development2004Biodiversity: Food, Water and Health for All2005Biodiversity: Life Insurance for our Changing World2006Protect Biodiversity in Drylands2007Biodiversity and Climate Change2008Biodiversity and Agriculture2009Invasive Alien Species2010Biodiversity, Development and poverty reduction2011Forest Biodiversity2012Marine Biodiversity2013Water and Biodiversity2014Island Biodiversity2015Convention on Biological Diversity2016 Mainstreaming Biodiversity; Sustaining People and their Livelihoods2017Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism2018Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity2019Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health2020Our solutions are in nature2021We're part of the solution #ForNature2022Building a shared future for all life2023From agreement to action: Build back biodiversityInternational Day for Biological Diversity 20232024Be Part of the Plan2025Harmony with nature and sustainable development2026Acting locally for global impact
See also United Nations Decade on Biodiversity (2011–2020) International Year of Biodiversity (2010)
References
External links Post-2015 Development Agenda Considering Man's Place in the World," May 22, 2014 Sustainable Development Goals " The World We Want: A Future for All”