Twenty-five years of the international Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and protection of life on earth will be the theme of the International Biodiversity Day, which will be jointly celebrated on Tuesday by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and Telangana State Biodiversity Board at the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University.
The final draft of the CBD was adopted by the UN General Assembly on May 22, which is celebrated as International Biodiversity Day.
The national event will see awarding of institutions and individuals in four categories — conservation of biodiversity, both of wild and domesticated species, sustainable use of biological resources, replicable mechanisms for access and benefit sharing, and best biodiversity management committee, NBA Secretary T. Rabikumar informed at a press conference here on Monday.
While the event is conducted at various places every year to commemorate the treaty, Hyderabad has been chosen by the Central government as the venue for the 25th year, in view of the Conference of Parties to the CBD that was held here in 2012, Mr. Rabikumar said.
Students, scientists, representatives of central government institutions, biodiversity management committee members from across the country, and biodiversity board members will attend the event.
NBA Chairperson B. Meena Kumari said India was a forerunner in signing the treaty, which had three-pronged objectives — conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of bio resources, and sharing of benefits accrued through trade in bio resources with the conservators of biodiversity.
The NBA was formed as per the Biodiversity Act, 2002, and the state boards have been formed in all 29 states. Biodiversity Management Committees have been formed at ground level, she said.
Member-Secretary of the Telangana State Board S. Srinivas was also present at the press meet.
