The International Day for Biological Diversity celebrated on May 22nd where people across the world come together to ensure that Earth remains a place where all living creatures not only survive but also thrive in our ecosystem. The day celebrated in order for people to show their support and love for the planet was adopted On May 22nd  1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as "The Earth Summit", in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the conference state and government, leaders agreed on a strategy to increase the understanding of the important role of biodiversity in our future. It came into effect on December 29th 1993.

Although originally celebrated on December 29th, the UN General Assembly changed the date to May 22, to commemorate the day it was first adopted and also was designed as a ploy to avoid it clashing with other holidays that fall on the month of December. Let's show our love for planet earth by learning a few facts about biodiversity.

  • Biodiversity contributes to many aspects of our well-being. It is a sustainable source that provides raw materials and contributes to the health of human beings.

  • Biodiversity is imperative for well-functioning ecosystems. Biodiversity is very important to an ecosystem because each species plays a different role in the maintenance of the ecosystem. A healthy ecosystem ensures accessibility to nutrient and water cycling, soil formation and retention, resistance against invasive species, pollination of plants, regulation of climate. It can also significantly reduce the rate of pollution.

  • Considering the rapid growth in population, an estimated 9 billion people can be sharing this planet by the year 2020.  Focusing on maintaining a healthy ecosystem to ensure food security is the need f the hour.

  • Coral reefs have the most diversity of all ecosystems on Earth.

  • Climate change is a huge factor in the decreases of biodiversity by destroying habitats of certain organisms. Biodiversity has decreased over the past 35 years.

  • We can ensure an increase in biodiversity by preserving a species and its habitat.

  • You can support biodiversity by shopping at local markets and choosing organic produce. Planting crops in your backyard can also go a long way in sustaining biodiversity.

The theme for this year's International Day for Biological Diversity is "We're part of the solution #ForNature".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 20, 2021 01:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).