May 22^nd is celebrated as an International Day for Biological Diversity every year globally to create awareness among the citizens and stakeholders on the importance and need for the conservation of biological diversity. On this date in the year 1992, the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted by the United Nations. The theme of the IDB 2002 for this year is “Building a shared future for all life”.

2.         India is one of the 17 mega-diverse countries in the world covering an area of 329 million hectares and is the seventh largest country. India is known for its rich biological diversity and accounts for more than 1,00,000 species of animals and 49,100 species of plants in ten bio-geographic regions. India is also rich in traditional and indigenous knowledge, both coded as in ancient texts of Indian systems of medicines such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha, and also informal, as it exists in oral undocumented traditions.

3.         Biodiversity underpins peoples’ livelihoods and sustainable development in all areas of activity, including economic sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism. Biodiversity conservation is thus a pre-condition for achieving sustainable development. As such, biodiversity needs to be mainstreamed - it needs to be integrated into all sectors and across sectors. This will ensure addressing development needs and protecting the environment, supported by the sustainable use of natural resources.

4.         Biodiversity encompasses the variety of all life on the earth including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems. Earth’s biological resources are vital to humanity’s economic and social development. However, growing population pressure and pressures of urbanization and industrialization have led to habitat fragmentation causing loss to biodiversity.

5          In conformity with the spirit of the CBD, India enacted a comprehensive and progressive legislative framework for the country in the form of the Biological Diversity Act in 2002.  The Act mandates implementation of the objectives through a decentralized system with the National Biodiversity Authority at national level, the State Biodiversity Boards (SBB) at State level and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) at local body level.  Each of these entities is statutory and autonomous body with specific mandates and powers to facilitate effective implementation of the provisions of the Act and the Rules.

6.         The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) in association with National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Wetland Authority, National Tiger Conservation Authority, Tamil Nadu State Biodiversity Board are holding the Celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity on 22^nd May 2022 at Kalaivanar Arangam Chennai. The Hon’ble Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Shri Bhupender Yadav would inaugurate the Event and be the Chief Guest. The Hon’ble Union Minster of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri  Ashwini Kumar Choubey and the Hon’ble Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Govt. of Tamil Nadu Thiru Siva V.Meyyanathan would Guests of Honour. The Resident Representative of UNDP-India, the Secretary to the MoEFCC and other Senior officials would be participating in the event.  Besides, dignitaries, Chairpersons and Member Secretaries of the 28 State Biodiversity Boards and 8 Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, BMC members and representatives from stakeholder organizations from different parts of the country would be attending the event.

7.         As part of the celebrations, announcement of Indian Biodiversity Awardees and winners of the National level competition organized by the NBA, launch of 4^th Cycle of Biodiversity Samrakshan Internship Programme and Special Cover release by India Post on IDB 2022 would be taking place.

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(Release ID: 1826960)