International Biodiversity Day celebrated by Botanical Survey of India
Botanical Survey of India, in collaboration with Indian Museum, celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity-2019 with great zeal, vigour and enthusiasm at the Indian Museum premises on 22nd May 2019 .
Dr. A. A. Mao Director, Botanical Survey of India, inaugurated the program by lighting the Lamp in presence of Ms. Sweeya Santipitaks, Consul-General of Thailand in Kolkata, and Dr. Nita Sengupta, Deputy Keeper, Indian Museum Kolkata . An exhibition of various plant species was organised to spread awareness .
Theme of International Biodiversity Day in 2019 is ‘Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health’. The theme aims to spread awareness of the dependency of our food systems, nutrition and health on biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. The theme also celebrates the diversity provided by our natural systems for human existence and well-being on Earth, while contributing to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 (life on land), SDG 14 (life below water), SDG 2 (zero hunger) and SDG 3 (good health and well-being), as well as SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), among others.
United Nations is celebrating Decade on Biodiversity from 2011 – 2020 to spread awareness on importance biodiversity that exist on the planet and its role in sustaining life of the planet .
The term Biological Diversity or BioDiversity was coined by wildlife scientist and conservationist Raymond F Dasmann in 1968 .
Biodiversity refers to the totality of genes , species and ecosystems of a region .
There are three level of biodiversity , viz , species diversity , ecosystem diversity , genetic diversity .
Biodiversity addresses several problems in the conservation of the environment including loss of of species , destruction of habitats, over exploitation and effects of climate change .
Biodiversity is unequally distributed on Earth and it varies across region on the basis of climatic and geographical factors .
——————– Partha Roy
