INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

• The UN celebrates the International Day for Biological Diversity annually on 22 May. The Day aims to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
• The UN designated the Day to increase recognition of the significant challenges human activities pose to biological diversity as well as the role of biodiversity as a global asset to future generations.
  

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Biological diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms, but it also includes genetic differences within each species — for example, between varieties of crops and breeds of livestock — and the variety of ecosystems (lakes, forest, deserts, agricultural landscapes) that host multiple kind of interactions among their members (humans, plants, animals).

While there is a growing recognition that biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to future generations, the number of species is being significantly reduced by certain human activities. Given the importance of public education and awareness about this issue, the UN decided to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity annually.