Ghana joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity.
The IDBD is marked globally on 22nd May to promote biodiversity issues.
The celebration is also to increase awareness at the local, national and global levels, of man’s dependence on nature and its resources and to highlight biodiversity as the answer to several development challenges.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Building a Shared Future with All Life.”
The theme was chosen to continue developing momentum and support the post-2020 global biodiversity framework at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15).
A statement from the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, explained that the biodiversity seen around us today is the result of billions of years of evolution, shaped by natural processes and the influence of humans.
The statement said, “For us in Ghana, in observing the day, we would like to draw attention to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) that is expected to guide member States for the period 2021 to 2030. As a State Party, Ghana is currently engaged with the global community to develop a biodiversity framework that will direct the path towards a shared future for all life.”
The statement admonished individuals and Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Assemblies to contribute their quota, by supporting and participating in the government’s tree planting exercise spearheaded by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources; scheduled to take place on 10th June 2022.
It also encouraged citizens to undertake cleanup exercises and participate in the “Operation Clean Your Frontage” programme championed by the Greater-Accra Regional Coordinating Council.
It further asked citizens to adopt measures to save and conserve energy, minimize waste and practice waste segregation, especially of plastic material from the rest of their domestic waste, ensure proper disposal of our electronic waste, reduce the use of disposable materials such as takeaway packs and choose reusable containers.
Edna Semenu, ISD
