By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu says there is need to address causes of biodiversity loss.
Addressing a Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on the Convention on Biological Biodiversity (CBD) in Zimbabwe, Minister Ndlovu said biodiversity was being lost at unprecedented rates due to human-driven activities.
He was speaking ahead of the Fifteenth Conference of Parties Meeting (CoP15) to take place from 5 to 17 December 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
“The benefits from the sustainable access to and use of biodiversity and its components can contribute significantly to the economy and thus to the attainment of Vision 2030.
“Unfortunately, biodiversity is presently being lost at unprecedented rates largely due to human-driven activities and the impact of climate change,” he said.
“In Zimbabwe, we celebrate Human population growth and related increase in per capita consumption, only if we take care of biodiversity.
“The key pressures driving biodiversity loss are over-exploitation of species; proliferation of invasive alien species; pollution and the challenges of wastes globally; climate change variability; loss of wetlands, veld fires, and especially the degradation, fragmentation, and loss of habitats.
“We, therefore, need transformational approaches and more scientific research to build a strong case for biodiversity so as to address these root causes of biodiversity loss.”
To that effect, the imperative to reduce the negative human impact on biodiversity is widely acknowledged.
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was agreed on at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most widely ratified treaties in the world advocating for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
Zimbabwe became a signatory to this convention in 1995.
Being a signatory to the convention, Zimbabwe is obliged to implement its provisions.
The National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) aims to leverage the country’s competitive advantages, particularly with regards to the configuration of our natural resource endowment.
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