Dimapur, Sep. 18 (EMN): A global campaign on ‘Biodiversity for Everyone’s Life’ an initiative of Institute of Bio-resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), a National Institute of Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, was launched at Imphal, Manipur on Sep. 18.
The campaign was launched by the governor of Manipur, Dr. Najma Heptulla and speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly, Y Khemchand Singh.
To mark the launching of the programme, a 60 seconds documentary featuring Olympian and five times world boxing champion Mary Kom, Governor of Manipur
Dr. Najma Heptulla and environmentalist Dr. Dinabandhu Sahool was released.
A statement received here, said that the main aim of the programme was to create awareness and sensitise the masses about the biodiversity and its benefits to the common people.
Director IBSD Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo, remarked on how biodiversity of the region is declining at an alarming rate and how due to climate change and over exploitation, livelihoods of the people of the region were in danger.
Due to rapid industrialization, unplanned urbanization and increase in human activities, he said average global temperature has increased by 0.74° C during the last 100 years.
The director said according to the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the temperature could rise by 1-6-4.3°C by 2100, and global mean sea-level rose between 12-27 cms during the last century. These changes, he said have caused huge loss in biodiversity, affecting the entire world, from low lying areas to the vast polar regions.
He pointed out that at least 40% of the world economy and 80% of people’s needs are derived from biological resources and more than 700 species that are facing extinction are being hit hard by climate change.
Sahoo stressed on the urgent need to join hands to make combined efforts to save the biodiversity.
Biodiversity positively impacts human health in a number of ways, with the bio-economy expected to contribute to 2.7 % of global GDP by 2030.
There are 34 global biodiversity hotspots in the world, out of which four are in India – the Western Ghats, the Eastern Himalayas, Indo-Burma and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, said Sahoo.
The speaker lauded the initiative and promised to sensitive the policymakers about the importance of biodiversity and promised all help at his level.
Governor Dr. Najma Heptull a briefed the timeliness of the campaign and gave advice on the importance of planting of native tree species for increasing the biodiversity of plants and animals.
