As environmental challenges escalate globally, this year’s International Biodiversity Day spotlights the indispensable role of nature in building a sustainable future. Held annually on May 22, the observance reinforces the growing global consensus: there is no path to development without biodiversity.
The 2025 theme, “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development”, connects two deeply interdependent agendas—the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their message is clear: conserving biological diversity is not a standalone mission; it is foundational to ending hunger, combating disease, mitigating climate change, and ensuring equitable access to essential resources.
From fragile ecosystems to global wellbeing
Biodiversity is more than the sum of species on Earth. It includes genetic diversity, ecological systems, and the intricate relationships that bind humans to their environments. Forests, oceans, deserts, and even agricultural zones function as life-support systems—providing fresh water, food, medicine, fuel, and raw materials. Fish, for instance, supply protein to nearly 3 billion people, while over 80% of the global diet relies on plants.
However, the continued erosion of biodiversity—driven by pollution, habitat destruction, and monoculture farming—has placed both human health and food security at risk. History offers a cautionary tale: the commercial banana, now genetically uniform due to industrial farming, is vulnerable to the very diseases that once wiped out its predecessor.
A race against time
The Kunming-Montreal Framework, adopted in late 2022, lays out 23 targets to be met by 2030 and five overarching goals extending to 2050. These include restoring 20% of degraded ecosystems and halving the spread of invasive species. But the window for action is rapidly closing. With just five years left to meet the 2030 benchmarks, the international community is urged to act with urgency.
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the lead UN agency behind this day, emphasizes education and global engagement. Its multilingual platform offers resources to raise awareness and foster participation from all sectors of society.
Biodiversity and public health
The pandemic era has underscored how biodiversity loss is directly tied to public health. Disrupting ecosystems can accelerate the transmission of zoonotic diseases—those passed from animals to humans. Conversely, healthy, biodiverse environments act as buffers, providing nature-based solutions to global health threats.
Celebrating diversity, building resilience
Originally commemorated on December 29, the International Day for Biological Diversity moved to May 22 in 2000 to ensure greater global participation. Over the years, themes have ranged from marine ecosystems to forest protection. Each serves as a reminder of biodiversity’s many dimensions and its role in shaping a resilient future.
This year’s message is simple yet profound: sustainability begins with respecting the intricate web of life that sustains us. As nations pursue smarter, greener cities and more inclusive development models, biodiversity must remain at the heart of these transformations. For more information and to explore how biodiversity and sustainable development intersect, visit the official CBD website