Two Highlights of the Week: World Bee Day and Biodiversity Day

Have you heard of World Bee Day? Why are bees important to our daily lives?

The answer is straightforward—“We all depend on the survival of bees”! However, human activities threaten not only the lives of bees but also the lives of other pollinators. 

“Pollination is, however, a fundamental process for the survival of our ecosystems. Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend, entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of global agricultural land. Not only do pollinators contribute directly to food security, but they are key to conserving biodiversity.”  

Why celebrating World Bee Day on the 20th of May? What can we do to preserve the bees?

Anton Janša, “who in the 18th century pioneered modern beekeeping techniques in his native Slovenia and praised the bees for their ability to work so hard, while needing so little attention” was born on the date of 20 May. This is the reason why the United Nations designated the World Bee Day on 20 May to raise more awareness on the essentiality of pollinators and their contributions.

We know that bees are under pressure. If the situation continues, “nutritious crops, such as fruits, nuts and many vegetable crops will be substituted increasingly by staple crops like rice, corn and potatoes, eventually resulting in an imbalanced diet”. Therefore, it is time to take action. No matter in which position we are in society, we can all contribute to their preservation through conscious consumer behavior. For more information on World Bee Day and the action to take, please visit https://www.un.org/en/observances/bee-day.

Also, do not forget the “Biodiversity Day” two days after World Bee Day! 

“When biodiversity has a problem, humanity has a problem”—biodiversity, covering diverse genetics, species, and ecosystems on Earth, is undoubtedly an important part of our lives and industries. However, we are facing an increasing biodiversity loss due to human activities. Therefore, annually, on the 22 of May, Biodiversity Day reminds us why we should treasure biodiversity. This year, with the theme of “We’re part of the solution”, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) design customize logos to spread the message to the world. For more information on the CBD logo, please visit https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day.

Furthermore, in the year 2021, events surrounding the topics of biodiversity are blooming. The most important one is the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15). The CBD will review the status regarding the achievement of the “Strategic Plan for Biodiversity” 2011-2020 and make a final decision on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. For more information about the meeting held in China this year, please visit https://www.un.org/en/food-systems-summit-2021-en/un-biodiversity-conference.