Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, is essential to sustaining the living networks and systems that provide us all with health, wealth, food, fuel and the vital services our lives depend on. Human activity is causing the diversity of life on Earth to be lost at a greatly accelerated rate. Felling or burning of forests, removal of mangroves, intensive farming, pollution stress, overfishing and the impacts of climate change are all destroying biodiversity. These losses are irreversible, impoverish us all and damage the life support systems we rely on every day. But we can prevent them.
Throughout 2010, there will be various events taking place throughout the world to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, to help increase public awareness for the many facets of biodiversity, and to integrate this issue into key political and social processes. To name a few, over 400 environmental advocates attended the UNDP-sponsored North American Launch of the Year of Biodiversity, held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City on February 10 of this year. One day during the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly will be dedicated to the issue of biodiversity, marking the first opportunity for Heads of State and Government from all over the world to meet and discuss how to address the global challenges for biodiversity. Lastly, celebrations and activities will occur worldwide on the annual International Day of Biodiversity, to be held May 22nd of this year. For more information and to learn how you can participate, please visit http://www.cbd.int/2010/welcome/