Various activities to respond to Int’l Day for Biological Diversity

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is planning a number of activities in response to the International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22).

In particular, a ceremony will be held to mark the Day. Other activities will include a workshop on the coordination of actions to implement the Kunming - Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, planting trees and releasing wild animals at the Ba Be National Park in Bac Kan province, along with painting and photo exhibitions on nature and biodiversity conservation.

They aim to highlight the importance of biodiversity to human life and raise public awareness of conserving and bringing into play biodiversity values to help with the country’s sustainable development.

Vietnam issued a plan of action on biodiversity in 1995, shortly after it became a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity. In 2013, the Prime Minister also approved the national biodiversity strategy by 2020, with a vision to 2030.

Meanwhile, the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection took effect in 2022. To curb biodiversity losses, at the start of last year, the Government also gave the green light to the national biodiversity strategy by 2030, with a vision to 2050.

This strategy encourages non-governmental organisations, enterprises, and people to take part in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services. It also looks to facilitate the private sector’s engagement in the conservation.

It targets that onshore nature reserves will account for 9% of the mainland area; protected coastal and marine areas make up 3 - 5% of the country’s natural sea area; an additional 15 Ramsar sites, 14 biosphere reserves, and 15 ASEAN heritage parks be recognised; the nationwide forest coverage maintained at 42 - 43%; and at least 20% of the degrading natural ecosystem area be recovered.

Under the strategy, Vietnam is striving so that no more wild species will become extinct, the populations of at least 10 endangered species be improved, and at least 100,000 genetic sources be collected and stored.