Heal the Earth’s Wounds

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has chosen the theme of this year’s World Environment Day (June 5) to be ‘Ecosystem Restoration’, in order to bring together the solidarity of nations in the protect and revitalize the world’s ecosystems, for the benefit of people and nature.
This is also the kick-off event for the United Nations Decade (UN) on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), with the common goal of: preventing, halting and reversing the destruction of natural spaces. .

Elephants and giraffes inhabit Hwange National Park. Photo: Reuters According to the United Nations Commission on Biological Diversity, Earth’s ecosystems – the foundation of life – are being degraded at an unprecedented rate. Biodiversity provides 18 basic services globally to sustain human activities and development. However, these 14/18 contributions of nature are on a global downward trend. In addition, the rate of forest cover has decreased from 31.6% to 30.6% in the period 1990-2015. Coral reef ecosystems have the highest decline in survival index, between 1970 and 2015 it has decreased by 35% to 25% of the studied species are threatened with extinction. About 7 million other species of animals and plants are also at risk of “disappearing” due to human impacts. Meanwhile, the consumption of wild animals and habitat destruction have made infectious diseases more likely to spread to humans. The weaker the “health” of the ecosystem, the more fragile the immune “wall” between humans and pathogens. Without a change in the way people treat nature, future pandemics will occur frequently, cost many lives and severely impact the global economy. The severity is much greater than what the COVID-19 pandemic has caused to the world today. The loss of biodiversity and climate change have been threatening the progress of global sustainable development. According to the United Nations, the livelihoods of more than 3 billion people around the world depend on marine and coastal biodiversity, while 1.6 billion people make a living from forests. Therefore, the conservation of species on Earth is no longer in the framework of “altruism” but plays an important role in ensuring human life. In a statement kicking off the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the Earth was approaching a “point of no return” of deforestation, pollution of rivers and oceans. ocean, plowed lawns… seem to have fallen into oblivion. He stated: “We are destroying the very ecosystems that are the foundation of society. The degradation of the natural world is destroying the very food, water and resources needed for humans and other living things. animals exist, as well as the lives of 3.2 billion people – or 40% of the world’s population.” In 2010, in the city of Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture, Japan), about 190 countries participating in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity adopted an ambitious 2020 action strategy to reduce pressure from society. human society towards the natural world, conservation of biodiversity. Within the framework of this convention, countries have set 20 goals on biodiversity by 2020 to conserve biodiversity and restore ecosystems globally. The decisions of the 12th, 13th and 14th stakeholder meetings of the Convention on Biological Diversity all called for the parties to the convention to develop and adopt ecosystem restoration plans. Some of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals are related to ecosystem restoration that require urgent global action if they are to be achieved. The Ramsar Convention’s Strategic Plan 2016-2024 also includes goals for wetland ecosystem restoration to conserve biodiversity and adapt to climate change. However, as ecosystems continue to degrade rapidly, marine ecosystems, from coastal to deep sea, are currently suffering the heaviest losses in history due to human activities. In a study published in the journal Frontiers in Forest and Global Change, scientists found that only 3% of the world’s land area (excluding Antarctica) is still ecologically intact, with populations of healthy primitive animal body and undisturbed habitat. Global natural biodiversity is severely reduced by modern farming techniques; deforestation; habitat destruction in marshlands and in the ocean… The report of the Intergovernmental Forum on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services also indicates that the global rate of species extinction has increased at least tens to hundreds of times higher than the average rate. over the past 10 million years and continues to grow rapidly. It is estimated that about 7 million species are at risk of extinction in the next 30 years; 3/4 of the world’s bird species are endangered; A quarter of mammals are likely to disappear from the Earth. Great Barrier Reef on Orpheus Island, Australia. Photo: AFP/VNA On the other hand, the Aichi goals by 2020 are almost all unattainable. Of the 20 Aichi goals, only 4 have a high probability of achieving, the remaining goals are rated as low or unattainable. This report, together with the Convention on Biological Diversity, highlights the need for the world to take urgent efforts now and take effective action to stop the serious ecological degradation that is taking place. The United Nations has designated 2021-2030 as the decade of ecosystem restoration based on proposals from more than 70 countries, with the goal of accelerating worldwide efforts to prevent and reverse the degradation of ecosystems. ecosystems and raise awareness of the importance of ecosystems to human life. The United Nations emphasized that the restoration and conservation of ecosystems make an important contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Multicultural Framework. global biodiversity. The UN recommends that countries strengthen political will, mobilize resources, improve capacity in scientific research, and cooperate internationally to create driving force for ecosystem restoration at national, regional and international levels. local; mainstreaming ecosystem restoration into national development policies and plans, thereby creating opportunities for ecosystems to increase their resilience and the opportunity to maintain and improve livelihoods for all. people. Countries develop and implement policies and plans to prevent ecosystem degradation, in accordance with national laws and priorities, and develop and strengthen initiatives to enhance recovery effectiveness. Ecosystem; create conditions for synergies and consensus on an overall view to achieve national commitments and priorities through ecosystem restoration; promote sharing of experiences and good practices in ecosystem conservation and restoration. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized: “Fortunately, the Earth is resilient and we still have time to reverse the damage we have caused. By restoring ecosystems with the With unprecedented efforts to heal the Earth, we can accelerate a transformation that contributes to the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals.” Achieving these goals will not only protect the planet’s resources, but will also help create millions of new jobs by 2030, generate more than $7 trillion in profits a year, and help erase the planet, Guterres said. poverty. Ru Cha primary mangrove forest in Huong Phong commune, Huong Tra town, Thua Thien – Hue province (Vietnam) has an area of ​​​​about 5 hectares, has the function of preventing salinity, protecting aquatic resources and the mainland. Photo: Ho Cau/VNA Vietnam is currently in the group of countries with the most important and diverse ecosystems in the world, both in terms of marine and terrestrial ecosystems (especially forest and mangrove ecosystems). Vietnam currently has 173 protected areas with a total area of ​​over 2.5 million hectares, including 33 national parks, 66 nature reserves, 18 species and habitat conservation areas and 56 landscape protection zones. In particular, 9 sites are recognized as “world biosphere reserves”, 3 are “world natural heritage sites” recognized by UNESCO, 9 ramsar sites (wetlands), 10 ASEAN heritage garden. As one of the active members of the international community, Vietnam always strives to protect and develop natural ecosystems, biological species, and rich, endemic, precious and rare genetic resources. and has achieved many remarkable achievements. In addition, Vietnam is also committed to joining hands with countries in the region and around the world, working together to reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030 for sustainable development. In the words of UN Secretary-General Guterres, the next 10 years are “the last chance” for humans to heal their own “wounds” to the Earth, preventing climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Only with strong action can people end these 10 years with a bright vision: living in peace with nature and ensuring a better future for all.