International Biodiversity Day
Andrea Byaruhanga
In a world of amazing technology and non-stop progress, we often forget about the importance of nature. We build and develop our cities and roads without really thinking of the long-term effects.
But without nature, we wouldn’t have shelter, clothes, food, or medicine. We need nature to survive.
Exercise
Tap all the highlighted words in the article below to see their definition. ⇩
International Day for Biological Diversity
In 2000, the United Nations established May 22nd as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB). The day is about raising awareness of global biodiversity issues.
Biodiversity is life
The term “biodiversity” refers to the variety of life on Earth-from animals to plants to microorganisms.
“Biodiversity is the food we eat, the water we drink, and it is also the air we breathe. More than that, biodiversity is part of us, as we humans are part of nature.”
Dr. Cristiana Paşca-Palmer
Biodiversity is essential. Every species on Earth supports a different part of an ecosystem. If even one species disappears, the ecosystem can’t work as it should.
Take bees, for example. They support the growth of trees, flowers, and other plants through pollination. If they go extinct, plants won’t grow. The result? No food or shelter for living creatures of all sizes – including humans.
Threats to biodiversity
In 2014, the World Wildlife Federation reported that 52% of the Earth’s biodiversity was gone. This is mainly the result of human activities that cause the extinction of species. These actions include climate change, urbanization, overexploitation of natural resources, the introduction of invasive species, and pollution.
Solutions in nature
This year, the slogan for IDB is “We’re part of the solution #ForNature”. The slogan was chosen to continue the momentum generated last year under the theme, “Our solutions are in nature”, which served as a reminder that biodiversity remains the answer to sustainable development challenges. Last year’s theme highlights the need for humans to realize we’re part of nature – not separate from it. It’s time to start looking at nature-based, biodiversity-friendly solutions for things like our food systems and economies. Working with nature, rather than against it, can help protect life on Earth.
What you can do
Here are some things you can do to take part on May 22:
Watch documentaries about ecosystems and biodiversity.
Share information on social media.
Clean up trash in your local area (safely, of course!)
Donate to an organization like the Center for Biological Diversity.
Add some bee-friendly plants to your garden to support pollination.
Show respect
Even if you do nothing else on May 22, take a minute to recognize everything nature provides!
Exercise
Choose the correct option.
Biodiversity Comprehension
Grammar Difference between ‘from’ and ‘of’
Some learners find it difficult to understand the difference between the use of the prepositions from and of.
From indicates origin or source. For example:
David is from Berlin.
Where are you from?
I’ll be in Paris from Monday until Thursday.
Of indicates possession. We can also use of with certain expressions like It’s nice of (somebody) to do (something). For example:
Marie has changed the colour of her hair.
It’s very nice of Marie to come to the wedding.
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Posted Jan 10, 2025
A blog post for English-language learnings for the ABA English platform
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