THE country will be celebrating World Biodiversity Day tomorrow, Friday 21st, at the Cultural Village in Honiara.
The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Meteorogology, the United Nations Development Programme, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), TNC and WWF will be hosting a morning celebration where people can learn about biodiversity through music, games and educational presentations.
This year’s World Biodiversity Day, themed Biodiversity for development and poverty alleviation, is particularly important because this year is the United Nations International Year of Biodiversity.
Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth including all species of animals and plants, all ecosystems like forests, wetlands, lakes and oceans and of course humans.
In every ecosystem all living things depend on each other and their environment to survive.
Solomon Islands is well known for its biodiversity.
In 2008 Solomon Islands rainforests were included in the top 200 in the globally outstanding list for forests but they are also listed as one of the 10 most threatened forest ecosystems in the world.
If measured by area, Solomon Islands has more unique bird species than any other place on earth but two species have become extinct and many more are critically endangered and threatened.
There are many unique insects, reptiles and frogs of Solomon Islands and their habitats are being degraded by humans.
Solomon Islands is home to the world’s largest skink, the world’s largest insect eating bat and has some of the world’s largest rats.
It is part of the Coral Triangle which is in the region that has the highest marine diversity on the planet.
The Coral Triangle contains 76% of all known coral species, 37% of all known coral reef fish species and 53% of the world’s coral reefs.
Marine ecosystems are facing impacts from rapid population growth in the surrounding countries, a growth in international trade, over fishing, unsustainable fishing practices, damage from pollution and the impacts of climate change.
Fish stocks are being depleted and species of tuna are significantly declining in numbers.
But the biodiversity of Solomon Islands faces many threats.
In the Pacific island region, it is estimated that 50% of the total biodiversity is at risk.
Logging and over exploitation of natural resources has resulted in the loss of or damage to habitats and animal species.
Invasive species have come in and taken over unique local species, natural resources such as forests and reefs have been over-exploited and humans have damaged habitats such as mangroves.
Population growth has seen our ecosystems come under more pressure. Pollution, natural disaster and climate change all put an extra strain on the environment.
Rence Sore, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Meteorology said that Friday’s event will highlight just how important biodiversity is for Solomon Islanders.
“Solomon Islanders rely on their natural environment – they fish in the sea for food, grow crops to eat, use plants for medicine and harvest trees for building and fuel.
“We all rely on our environment’s biodiversity for our lives and livelihood. But our diversity is being lost at a fast rate because of human activities.
“We as human beings have the power to either protect or destroy our environment. We should choose to protect it so that our natural environment can continue to support us.
“World Biodiversity Day will recognize that protecting, conserving and enhancing our biodiversity will assist us to develop in a way that will provide our children with bright futures.”
The celebration will start on Friday at 8:45am when the Undersecretary for the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Meteorology, Chanel Iroi, will address the audience on the importance of biodiversity.
This will be followed by Burns Creek School presenting their World Biodiversity Day song.
On display will be works of art by primary school children on the theme of Our Biodiversity, OurLife and prizes will be awarded for competition winners.
The formal proceedings will be followed by quizes, games and interactive information sessions.
By GILLIAN COOK
Media Awareness Officer
Climate Change Division
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