year of biodiversity

The UN has declared 2010 as the year of biodiversity. 2009 was year of natural fibers and 2008 was year of the coral reefs. Public understanding and action are the clearest ways to halt loss of biodiversity. Even those climate change skeptics cannot deny loss of biodiversity that happens everyday on a massive scale. Biodiversity loss is even more irreversible than climate change even if one feeds the other.

The 2010 Biodiversity Target is an overall conservation target aiming to save biodiversity by the end of the year 2010. The UN has set a framework on how to achieve this. Prevention of biodiversity loss is a massive undertaking as most of it is linked to rapidly diminishing forest cover which is in turn connected with socio-economic balances within the country. Unfortunately most of the world's richest forests are found in the countries which means a high level of corruption exists which mars any conservation efforts. Governments and NGOs play a vital role is stressing that destruction of forests is not sustainable and instead expend efforts to show people a more sustainable method of using forest products for their livelihood. In a previous post I highlighted some of the factors that make conservation of forests very difficult. There are however, many success stories where forest area has been successfully preserved by involving the local community into its conservation.

I have blogged about biodiversity and its importance previously (here and here). I cannot stress enough the role that consumer choices play in the conservation of the ecosystem. It's a New Year and a new start: to your list of resolutions, add one eco-solution that you can keep and do it. It's easier than you think!