The International Day for Biological Diversity, sanctioned by the United Nations, promotes awareness of biodiversity issues.
Coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1985, biodiversity refers to "the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns it forms".
This year, the theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity is "Be Part of the Plan."
This theme calls on governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, non-governmental organizations, lawmakers, businesses, and individuals to showcase their efforts in supporting the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan.
The International Day for Biological Diversity was established by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in 1993.
The International Day for Biological Diversity is aligned with the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals, addressing a broad range of global issues. Biodiversity significantly impacts oceans, seas, forests, food security, health, sustainable development, science, technology, innovation, knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, urban resilience, sustainable transportation, desertification, land degradation, drought, and water and sanitation.