What is biodiversity and why it is threatened

Biodiversity – is a range of all life forms, among them animals, plants, aquatic biota, birds, algae, fungi, etc., that form the diversity of ecosystems through interaction.
Human activity impacts natural resources especially severely – air temperature rise, oceans and land are polluted by plastic; forests are cleared for agriculture and roads; water bodies are seized for industry, the air is polluted by toxic emissions, intensive farming, warfare – any human activity harms natural animal, bird, plant, sea habitats, one way or another. The issue of preserving and protecting biodiversity was on the agenda even in the past century.
The ground for biodiversity protection happened to be Convention on Biological Diversity founded in 1992 on Conference of World Leaders and Ministers of Environment. It stipulates sustainable and non-depletable use of biodiversity components in manner and rates that do not lead to its exhaustion in the long run and thus preserve its ability to meet the needs and expectations of present and future generations.
According to the data from World Wild Fund (WWF) the planet has lost since 1970 over 60% of mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles and amphibians. At least 300 mammals species were exterminated by hunting, 83% of wildlife species in rivers and lakes disappeared due to agricultural use of potable water and construction of dams. The UN report says that in next ten years a million more animals and plants may extinct! 
Scientists claim that 10 to 15 percent area must be put under protection so that the biosphere can function and restore. Lands are “reserved” for the sake of preservation and restoration, that is, they are excluded from areas of human activity to ban anthropogenic impact, and international nature protection conventions and agreements are concluded. These documents contain articles that define measures of preserving some animal and plant species or separate kinds of natural environment.

Nature protection conventions currently in force in Ukraine:

1. Convention on biological diversity, 1992, Rio de Janeiro;
2. Convention on marsh lands, 1971, Ramsar, Iran;
3. Convention on preservation of migrant wild animals, 1979, Bonn;
4. Convention on preservation of migrant birds of African and Eurasian marshes, 1995 р;
5. Convention on preservation of bats in Europe, 1991;
6. Convention on international trade of endangered species, CITES, Washington, 1979; 
7. Convention on protection of world cultural and natural legacy, 1972, Paris;
8. Convention on protection of European wildlife and natural environments, 1976;
9. All-European strategy on protection of biological and landscape diversity, 1995.
   
   

Ukraine has also ratified conventions on territories and units of natural reserve funds:

1. UN frame convention on climate change;
2. Vienna convention on protection of ozone layer;
3. European convention on protection of archeological legacy;
4. Convention on protection and use of transboundary watercourses and international lakes;
5. Convention on assessment of environmental impact in transboundary context;
6. European convention on basic principles of across-the-border cooperation between territorial communities or authorities;
7. Convention on cooperation in Danube protection and sustainable use;
8. UN convention against desertification;
9. Convention against pollution of Black Sea;
10. European landscape convention;
11. Convention on access to information, participation of publicity in decision-making and access to legal aid in environmental issues;
12. Contracts between Moldavian Ministry of Environment and Territory Planning, Romanian Ministry of Water Bodies, Forests and Environment Protection and Ukrainian Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources on cooperation in natural reserves in Danube Delta and lower reaches of Prut;
13. Declarations on cooperation in creation of Lower Danube green corridor;
14. European red list of globally endangered animal and plant species;
15. Convention on protection of Antarctic marine life.

As we can see, Ukraine has a number of top-important pro-biodiversity conventions ratified. Together with that everyone of us can personally join the protection and restoration of natural funds. How exactly? Find it out from our further publications.