International Day for Biological Diversity - 22 May

Biodiversity is the living fabric of our planet. It underpins human well-being in the present and in the future, and its rapid decline threatens nature and people alike. On 22 May,

Sri Lanka continues to demonstrate its dedication to environmental sustainability as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which it joined in 1992. Since the Convention came into force on 29 December 1993, the country has actively implemented national policies, strategies, and plans aimed at conserving its rich biodiversity.

Each year, Sri Lanka aligns with global conservation themes, taking timely action to protect its natural ecosystems. The Ministry of Environment serves as the national focal point for the CBD, with the Biodiversity Division leading the way in regulatory and conservation efforts across the country.

The Biodiversity Day program commenced today at 9:00 a.m. under the patronage of Environment Minister Dr. Dhammika Patabendi, Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody, and Ministry Secretary K. R. Uduwawala.

Highlighting the event, Professor Cyril Wijesundara delivered an insightful lecture on the current state of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity. Professor Gamini Pushpakumara followed with a presentation focused on the promotion of underutilized food crops, emphasizing their importance for sustainable agriculture and food security.

 we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity, to raise awareness of the vital importance of preserving biodiversity. As a global hub for environmental governance, Geneva is home to many organizations active in safeguarding biodiversity.

When first created by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in late 1993, 29 December (the date of entry into force of the Convention of Biological Diversity), was designated 

The International Day for Biological Diversity. In December 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted 22 May as IDB, to commemorate the adoption of the text of the Convention on 22 May 1992 by the Nairobi Final Act of the Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

 This was partly done because it was difficult for many countries to plan and carry out suitable celebrations for the date of 29 December, given the number of holidays that coincide around that time of year.

The theme of the 2025 edition is “Harmony with nature and sustainable development”, focusing the world’s attention on the linkages between the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Goals and Targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) as two universal agendas that must be pursued in tandem in the spirit of the recently adopted Pact for the future.

Progress in halting and reversing biodiversity loss is crucial for the attainment of the SDGs. Conversely, the pursuit of the SDGs catalyzes or brings about the transformations that, according to the latest assessments of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), are needed to fulfill the vision adopted within the KMGBF: living in harmony with nature. This interactive tool illustrates the linkages between the KMGBF and the SDGs at target-level and will constitute a central piece of the IDB 2025 campaign.

This campaign is also about instilling a sense of urgency and advocating for accelerated implementation. In 2025, both the KMGBF and the 2030 Agenda will have five more years before the 23 action targets of the former, and the 17 SDGs of the latter come to the end of the period that the world agreed for their implementation.