Recovering Key Species For Ecosystem Restoration

On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 3 March – the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973 – as UN World Wildlife Day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants.

Every year on March 3,?World Wildlife Day?is commemorated to raise awareness about issues that affect wildlife. There are numerous species on Earth, and each one serves a crucial part in maintaining environmental balance. It may be found in a variety of habitats, including deserts, rainforests, grasslands, and other environments. World Wildlife Day (WWD) will be celebrated in 2022 under the theme “Recovering key species for ecosystem restoration”. The celebrations will seek to draw attention to the conservation status of some of the most critically endangered species of wild fauna and flora and to drive discussions towards imagining and implementing solutions to conserve them. All conversations will be inspired by and seek to inform efforts towards the achievement of?UN Sustainable Development Goals?No Poverty, Zero hunger, Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, Climate Action, Life Below Water, and Life on Land.

The new report from the Intergovernmental Panel on?Climate Change?(IPCC), describes climate change as "a threat to human wellbeing and the health of the planet." IPCC reaffirms the urgent need to reduce unchecked emissions for the betterment of the planet. The study also highlights how climate change is causing extinction. Animals and plants are being exposed to extreme weather conditions at an unprecedented rate, putting nearly half of the species on the verge of extinction. Species extinction risk is projected to worsen in all climate change forecasts if temperatures rise over the tipping point. Warming of 1.5°C to 3°C over pre-industrial levels raises the threat to endemic species by around tenfold. Even if temperatures are held considerably below the Paris Agreement's goal of 1.5°C, roughly 4% of endemic species in biodiversity hotspots will be pushed to extinction. In many places of Asia, habitat loss for animals or plants has already been reported. Furthermore, this scenario is expected to spread throughout Asia, posing a threat to many natural plant environments. Coral reefs, tidal marshes, seagrass meadows, plankton communities, and other marine and coastal ecosystems will be on the edge of extinction if the planet warms by 2°C or more. In South Asia, the Bengal tiger, Hoolock Gibbon, and snow leopard may confront difficulties. According to data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, over 8,400 species of wild fauna and flora are critically endangered, while close to 30,000 more are understood to be endangered or vulnerable. Based on these estimates, it is suggested that over a million species are threatened with extinction. Continued loss of species, habitats, and ecosystems also threatens all life on Earth, including us.

People everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet all our needs, from food to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. Millions of people also rely on nature as the source of their livelihoods and economic opportunities. In 2022, World Wildlife Day will therefore drive the debate towards the imperative need to reverse the fate of the most critically endangered species, to support the restoration of their habitats and ecosystems, and to promote their sustainable use by humanity.