2012: A decade of biodiversity and focus on marine biodiversity

As International Year of the Forest 2011 winds down, what will be the focus in 2012? While no specific biodiversity aspect will be highlighted in 2012 as a "UN International Year of", 2011-2020 has been designated UN Decade of Biodiversity!

The Decade of Biodiversity have five strategic goals and 20 ambitious yet achievable targets.

Collectively known as the Aichi Targets, the aim is to inspire broad-based action in support of biodiversity over this decade (2011-2020). Towards these three objectives: conservation of biodiversity; sustainable use of biodiversity; fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

Here's the official Decade of Biodiversity video clip with more about the issues and what is being done. There is hope yet!

22 May is International Day of Biological Diversity and in 2012, the focus is on Marine Biodiversity!

The press release designating this theme highlighted that lack of awareness is a key issue:

"Challenges facing marine biodiversity are unprecedented. Life in the oceans is under serious threats. Continuously increasing human impacts in coastal areas have destroyed over 65% of seagrass and wetland habitat, degraded water quality and accelerated species invasions. It is estimated that the world has effectively lost 19% of the original area of coral reefs and 35% are seriously threatened with loss within the next decades. During the last two decades, 20% percent or 3.6 million ha of global mangrove cover have been lost. Roughly 80% of the world’s marine fish stocks are fully exploited or overexploited.

These challenges are unknown to the public at large."

The theme will contribute to the Rio + 20 meeting. It will also complement global activities such as the World Ocean Summit to be held in Singapore in February 2012.

You CAN make a difference for Singapore's biodiversity!

EXPLORE our wild shores and see our marine biodiversity for yourself. Bring your friends and family. There are plenty of guided walks and other activities that highlight our wildlife and wild places.

Dive our wild reefs at Pulau Hantu with the Hantu Bloggers!

FREE family tours at Chek Jawa by the Naked Hermit Crabs.

EXPRESS share your thoughts, experiences and photos in a blog, facebook, flickr and other social networking sites. More about how to share your sightings!

Drawing shared by a visitor in the Naked Hermit Crabs guestbook

ACT volunteer for our wild places. Here's some current opportunities, with updates on the wildsingapore news blog.

TeamSeagrass at Pulau Semakau!

Lots of ways to make a difference for our wild places in 2012!