Are You Ready to Be Part of the Biodiversity Plan?

The worldwide observance of the International Biodiversity Day commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 22 May 1992 and provides a unique opportunity to foster wide support for the Convention, its Protocols and related action frameworks. The Theme of Biodiversity Day 2024 is: "Be part of the Plan"

This is a call to action for all stakeholders to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the Biodiversity Plan. As humanity is facing the intertwined triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution, collaborative action is needed from all sectors of society to restore harmony with nature and foster a transition to sustainable socio-economic systems. Adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework in December 2022 was therefore an important step to commit to action that protects nature.

East Africa is globally recognized for its rich biodiversity and iconic landscapes.  Wildlife is a critical asset for East Africa’s future growth and development.  For example, the total direct contribution toGross Domestic Product of nature-based tourism to Kenya and Tanzania is over USD $1.2 billion. Managed well, these resources spur economic growth and improve livelihoods.  However, factors like climate change, wildlife crime, habitat fragmentation, human wildlife conflicts, and urban expansion are threatening conservation efforts.  

Invasive alien species remains as a ‘silent’ but major challenge to biodiversity globally and in East Africa, as it is underappreciated, underestimated, and often unacknowledged. Goal D of the Biodiversity Plan (Invest and Collaborate) focuses on ensuring adequate financial resources, capacity-building, technical and scientific cooperation, and access to and transfer of technology is imperative to fully implement the Plan in addressing the above and other challenges.  But this should not suffer the fate of unfulfilled financial commitments (the USD 100 billion per year) under the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

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