Celebrated on May 22nd and coordinated by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) commemorates the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992. This year's theme focused on 'Biodiversity: Food, Water and Health for All', highlighting the essential role of biodiversity for ensuring our basic needs.
Biological diversity is threatened by increasing urbanization, deforestation, climate change, pollution and the conversion of wetlands. Governments committed themselves to achieving a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010 during the World Summit for Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg in 2002