Restoring biodiversity

UN prepares the first draft text for the upcoming international summit talks on biodiversity in China

Experts have long been campaigning for action at the global, regional and national levels to arrest the continued loss of biological diversity so that mankind can live in harmony with nature. Responding to these calls, the United Nations has prepared the first draft text that will form the core of discussions at the upcoming international summit talks on biodiversity to be held in October in China. The negotiations at the conference aim at protecting at least 30% of land and oceans and achieving many other goals relating to biodiversity. The framework sets out a road map to remove the biodiversity imbalance as much as possible. Experts’ call for correcting biodiversity with international cooperation is similar to those agreed upon at the 2015 Paris Climate Summit.

Considering that now one million species are on the verge of extinction and the world is failing to achieve nature preservation targets, the UN has stressed the need to launch concerted action to reverse the trend with regard to biodiversity. The draft paper sets 21 targets and 10 milestones for 200-odd nations to achieve in the fight to stop nature’s degradation. Some of these are restoring at least 20% of the damaged ecosystems and protecting intact wild areas, and earmarking conservation areas to protect 30% land and marine species. The paper also emphasises sustainable farming and fishing practices and stopping careless dumping of plastic waste. Actions should be geared towards stabilising biodiversity loss by 2030 and bringing about net improvement by 2050.

The harm that biodiversity loss causes to nature’s balance is illustrated by the experience of a Third World state. This country in its zeal to earn foreign exchange exported frog legs to European countries where they are relished as a food delicacy. The indiscriminate killing of frogs resulted in the proliferation of pests as frogs consumed these insects. The country had to spend far more foreign exchange on the import of pesticides than it had earned by exporting frog legs.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2021.

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