Animals, plants and microorganisms forming biodiversity constitute major components of the natural world and the material foundation indispensable for economic development of a given country and nation. Such biodiversity serves as a source for providing foods, meats, timbers, firewood, medicinal materials and others all necessary for human beings directly or indirectly.

However, continued natural disasters, climate changes, rapid population growth and diverse economic development cause destruction of the ecosystem and lead to the loss of biodiversity.

Amid the ever-growing worldwide efforts to cope with such circumstances, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was adopted on May 22, 1992 as an international agreement, and came into effect from December 1993.

In 2000, the United Nations designated May 22 as International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) and called upon all countries and regions around the world to positively conduct various activities for enhancing public education and proper understanding of biodiversity in the run-up to the occasion.

The theme of IDB for this year is “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity”, which is geared to implementing in practice the resolutions adopted at the 15th meeting of signatories to the CBD so as to contribute substantially to the conservation of biodiversity.

As a signatory to the CBD, our country is vigorously promoting the work for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

It set forth the tasks and ways for conserving biodiversity and improving ecological environment at several national meetings and on other occasions.

It makes strenuous efforts to work out mid- and long-term green growth plans and carry them out.

Based on correct estimation of water control abilities in rivers and streams across the country, it directs efforts to putting water management on a scientific footing so as to conserve inland ecosystems and wetland biodiversity.

The work of conserving and increasing marine resources is conducted in a planned and efficient way, bringing about remarkable achievements in conserving biodiversity in the coasts and seas. And the work of landscaping streets and villages and improving urban ecological environment is in full swing to provide the people with more civilized living environment.

Efforts are also made to survey and evaluate the overall reserves across the country, properly fix them according to the distribution of changed biodiversity and increase their areas step by step, and give wide publicity to raising public awareness of biodiversity.

The Biodiversity Institute, Zoology Institute and Botanical Institute under the State Academy of Sciences and other scientific research institutes have recently conducted field surveys of more than 90 reserves and important areas of biodiversity. According to them, the number of bear, water-deer, pheasant, wild goose and duck, snipes and cranes and other animals increased markedly as against the previous period, and many species of organisms which could not be found in our country in the past have been observed.

In recent years, russet sparrow ( Passer rutilans ) was spotted breeding around Lake Sijung in Thongchon County of Kangwon Province, and shelduck in the Mundok Migratory Bird Sanctuary in South Phyongan Province, and stilt ( Himantopus himantopus ) in the Sindo Migratory Bird Sanctuary in North Phyongan Province.

This proves that the resources of biodiversity in the country grow abundant as the days go by.

Yun Chol Nam, PhD, associate professor and director of the Biodiversity Institute under the State Academy of Sciences