Statement

Message of UN Secretary-General on the International Day for Biological Diversity, 22 May 2007.

Biodiversity is the foundation of life on earth and one of the pillars of sustainable development. The richness and variety of life on earth makes possible the ecosystem services on which we depend: clean water, food, shelter, medicine and clothing. Environments rich in biodiversity are resilient when stricken by natural disaster. All of this is of particularly importance for the poorest citizens of our world. Those who live on only a few dollars a day need biodiversity to meet their basic needs. Without the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, we will not achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Publication Date
2007-05-22