The lives and well-being of over 6 billion people on Earth are intimately linked to the health of the species and ecosystems on our planet, and to its stability. We rely on nature to provide us with food, fuel and medicine. We rely on nature for invaluable services like crop pollination, climate stab¬zation, and air and water purification. Preserving the integrity of nature – and therefore a high quality of life for people everywhere – requires that we live sustainably and place only those demands upon the planet thatdo not exceed its capacity to regenerate.
Achieving this balance is the key to sustainable development and to realizing full human potential. In 1992, the international community committed to the vision of a sustainable future by agreeing to promote sustainable development using three groundbreaking treaties: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Biological Diversity. These Conventions address climate change, desertification/land degradation and biodiversity loss respectively. Over time, we have increasingly realized that these issues, and therefore the implementation of these treaties, are deeply connected.
The United Nations has designated 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. During the year, individuals and groups around the world will be making commitments and developing long-term strategies to safeguard biodiversity for their sake and for that of future generations. Biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate. Now is the time to act.
We cannot tackle biodiversity loss, climate change and land degradation independently. For example, approximately 10% of the species assessed so far are at risk of extinction for every 1°C rise in global mean surface temperature. There is also increasing evidence that reducing emissions from forest and land-use activities such as logging and agriculture through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity is a key way of keeping the global temperature increase to below 2ºC above pre-industrial levels. The extent to which countries draw on and connect the different conservation and sustainable use lessons learned from the implementation of the three Rio Conventions will, in part, determine the achievement of the full benefits from land use management and other activities.
Integrating climate change related activities, biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, and activities to combat desertification, land degradation and the effects of drought will require careful planning. Needless to say, the magnitude of the problems we face means that the task of aligning our actions will become increasingly important in the years to come.
The 2010 Rio Conventions calendar is offered in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation that we hope will define the International Year of Biodiversity. Its images celebrate the diversity of species, ecosystems, landscapes and cultures that grace our planet and that underpin efforts toward sustainable development. We hope these images will inspire you to join in the celebrations during this important year, and to do all you can to help preserve the diversity of life on Earth. |
