Coral reefs in the sea area of ​​Phan Rang-Thap Cham city. (Photo: Nguyen Thanh/VNA) Ninh Thuan waters have high biodiversity with hundreds of marine species of economic and conservation value. For sustainable development, the preservation of biodiversity and rational exploitation of resources from the sea has been identified by Ninh Thuan province as one of the priority tasks in the socio-economic development strategy. Rich in biodiversity potential Ninh Thuan has a coastline of more than 105km and a territorial sea of ​​over 18,000km2. According to the latest studies on biodiversity by the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, in the waters of Ninh Thuan, coral reefs and the diversity of coral reef organisms are one of the most important components of the environment. Biodiversity most prominent. Scientists have recorded 6 coral reefs with an average coverage of about 42.6%. The coral reef has been identified with over 334 species belonging to 15 families, 59 varieties of reef-forming corals, of which 46 species have been newly recorded and added to the list of coral species in Vietnam. Coral reefs are home to many species of creatures, including coral reef fish with 147 species belonging to 81 genera, 32 families. Seagrass beds were also identified with 5 species distributed on the coastal bottom with an area of ​​about 341ha. Biodiversity of Ninh Thuan sea area is also shown in the record of 538 fish species, including 146 pelagic fish species, 392 benthic fish species, of which 68 fish species have high economic value. In addition, marine species include 45 species of mollusks, 24 species of crustaceans, 13 species of echinoderms, and 22 species of polychaetes. Notably, the waters of Nui Chua National Park – Ninh Thuan are currently one of the few rare areas on the mainland in Vietnam with a population of sea turtles spawning every year, including: green turtles, tortoiseshell turtles. Regeneration of aquatic resources With the potential of valuable ecosystems and biodiversity, the conservation of marine biodiversity has always been of special interest to Ninh Thuan province. Over the past time, functional branches of the province have cooperated with research institutes, universities, domestic and foreign organizations to implement many topics, projects and research programs on biodiversity. such as: upgrade database – GIS about Coral reef and coastal ecosystems; develop a program for periodic monitoring of coral reefs in Ninh Thuan; survey typical marine ecosystems in Ninh Hai and Thuan Nam districts; restore mangrove ecosystems in Nui Chua and Dam Nai sea areas to protect and create a development environment for marine species. In particular, Ninh Thuan province established a marine protected area in Nui Chua National Park with a total area of ​​7,352 hectares. Nui Chua marine conservation area includes strict protection zones, ecological restoration areas and development zones with the function of protecting endemic and rare marine species in order to regenerate aquatic resources, protect and enhance the biodiversity of local marine protected areas. Mr. Tran Van Tiep, Deputy Director of Nui Chua National Park Management Board, said that over the years, the park has coordinated with domestic and foreign scientific research units and organizations to investigate and evaluate the potential, develop data on marine resources and environment within the conservation area to serve as a basis for implementing projects on environmental protection and restoration of marine ecosystems. Currently, the Park is implementing synchronously many plans and solutions to effectively and sustainably protect sea turtle populations and their habitats and other endangered and rare aquatic species. Specifically, the Park builds and maintains strict protection zones for sea turtles at spawning grounds in the area; building a turtle conservation station, establishing volunteer groups to participate in protecting sea turtles; at the same time, build a marine life rescue area to receive, rescue, treat, raise and train turtles in captivity, catch, and ensure sufficient conditions for turtles to live on their own before being released into the environment. nature. Simultaneously, the Nui Chua National Park Management Board has promoted propaganda measures to raise awareness and knowledge of the community about the importance and value of marine biological resources. From there, creating consensus, support and active participation of local people in protecting the marine ecosystem and environment, Mr. Tran Van Tiep added. In order to protect, regenerate and develop aquatic resources, Ninh Thuan province has been implementing many measures to manage, propagate and organize fishing in the right season, using the correct net size as prescribed. exploit the right route, do not use toxic chemicals, explosives, electric pulses to exploit. At the same time, the province deducts a part of the local budget and mobilizes businesses to release millions of tiger shrimp and fingerlings into the sea to regenerate and supplement seafood resources. Particularly in 2021, Ninh Thuan has organized to release 700,000 tiger shrimp seed into the sea to regenerate aquatic resources for local waters. Improve efficiency of management and conservation Through the assessment, the conservation of marine biodiversity has been better protected by all levels and sectors, but like coastal localities in the country, Ninh Thuan’s marine biodiversity is currently under pressure. face many challenges. It is the decline of biodiversity and fishery resources, aquaculture activities, and waste that make some marine areas at risk of pollution, climate change is causing pressures. significant contribution to the conservation and development of local marine biodiversity. Seaweed covers a large coral reef in Phuoc Dinh commune (Thuan Nam district). (Photo: Nguyen Thanh/VNA) According to Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ninh Thuan province, Tran Quoc Nam, identifying biodiversity resources in general, especially marine biodiversity resources, is of great significance to socio-economic development. Every year, Ninh Thuan integrates the task of environmental protection and biodiversity conservation into the province’s general socio-economic development plan. In order to improve the efficiency of biodiversity management and conservation, the Provincial People’s Committee assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to coordinate with agencies and units to periodically observe, analyze and evaluate the current state of the environment. annually and once every 5 years to create initiative for the development of orientations on environmental protection policies in the whole province. Regarding biodiversity conservation in general, marine biodiversity conservation in particular, in the coming time, Ninh Thuan will continue to develop mechanisms and policies to attract resources from the central and local governments. implementation of investment programs and projects in order to improve the operational efficiency of marine protected areas. The province promotes scientific research, basic investigation of marine resources and environment; focus on biodiversity conservation, restoration of Ecosystem , especially coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, coastal protection forests. At the same time, Ninh Thuan improves its capacity to respond to marine environmental incidents, actively propagates people living in coastal areas not to discharge domestic waste and plastic waste into the sea, actively collect clean the marine environment to prevent and minimize risk factors that may affect the development of marine organisms.

Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park is located in the center of Lang Biang Plateau (Lam Vien), in Lac Duong and Dam Rong districts (Lam Dong). According to introductory information, this national park is named after the two highest mountains in the region, Bidoup (2,287 m) and Nui Ba (Lang Biang, 2,167 m). Photo: Quy Tran. Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park was established in 2004, on the basis of reclassification of Bidoup – Nui Ba Nature Reserve. This place contributes to preserving regional biodiversity, preserving indigenous cultural characteristics, serving scientific research – education, developing eco-tourism, strengthening security – defense… Photo : Bidoup National Park – Nui Ba. Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park is the core area of ​​Lang Biang World Biosphere Reserve, recognized by UNESCO in 2015. Located in the north of Lam Dong province, this is one of four national biodiversity centers. , at altitudes from 650 m to nearly 2,300 m with several different forest systems. Photo: Dang Tuan. According to the data of Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, this place is one of 221 endemic bird regions of the world. Research shows that the garden has about 301 species of birds, belonging to 67 families, among the most bird-rich regions of Vietnam. Photo: Marc Choisy. According to the data of Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, about plants, there are about 1,966 species of 966 genera, 188 families, with many rare species listed in the Red Book. Coming here, visitors can learn about red pine, green cypress, po mu, two-leaf pine, forest orchid, azalea… Photo: Tan Tai. In early 2021, scientists discovered Tra mi Langbiang (Camellia langbianensis) in Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, exactly 90 years after the French collected the first specimen of this flower (1931). For a long time, botanists at home and abroad thought that flowers were extinct. Photo: Lam Dong newspaper. To Bidoup – Nui Ba National Park, visitors can join the Bidoup ecotourism route. Bidoup Peak in Da Chais Commune, Lac Duong District, Lam Dong Province, is the highest mountain in Lam Vien Plateau. Many young people like to explore and conquer Bidoup in the dry season, the most beautiful season of the year. Photo: Ngakuu.

Picture for illustration purposes only. (Source: VNA) To effectively organize activities in response to “World Oceans Day, Vietnam Sea and Islands Week; On World Environment Day and Action Month for the Environment in 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has issued 19 propaganda slogans to widely spread the green message, contributing to the realization of the “double goal” – medium epidemic prevention and control, while protecting the environment and developing socio-economic. Information to reporters of VietnamPlus Online Newspaper on the afternoon of June 3, a representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said with the theme “Ocean: Life and Livelihood,” this year’s World Oceans Day (June 8). delivering a message highlighting the diversity of marine ecosystems, spreading the meaning of the ocean to human livelihoods and the living resources of species on Earth. Along with spreading the above message, Vietnam Sea and Islands Week 2021 (from June 1 to 8) is also selected with the theme “Protecting oceans and sustainable development of marine livelihoods in Vietnam.” This is one of the goals set out to concretize the contents of the Government’s Resolution 26/NQ-CP on promulgating the Master Plan and the Government’s 5-year plan to implement Resolution No. 36-NQ. /TW of the Eighth Conference of the 12th Party Central Committee on the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Marine Economy to 2030, with a Vision to 2045. To effectively implement response activities World Oceans Day , Vietnam Sea and Islands Week, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has issued 9 propaganda slogans, including: Protecting the sovereignty of sea and islands is the responsibility and obligation of each citizen; join hands to contribute to the homeland sea and island; Hoang Sa and Truong Sa are always in our hearts; unite, take initiative in overcoming difficulties in maintaining Vietnam’s sovereignty over sea and islands; Green economy for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s seas and islands. The next slogan is to ensure people’s livelihood for sustainable development of Vietnam’s marine economy; take action for the sustainable development of oceans and marine ecosystems; sustainable development of the marine economy – no one is left behind; Protecting oceans from plastic is protecting our future. Picture for illustration purposes only. (Source: VNA) For World Environment Day and Action Month for the Environment, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said that in 2021, the United Nations Environment Program chooses the theme of World Environment Day (June 5) as “Revival of the World Environment Day”. ecosystem recovery” with the message of gathering and solidarity to protect and revive ecosystems, for the benefit of people and nature. So, in response to the theme World Environment Day this year, implementing the United Nations’ commitment to Decade of Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), promoting activities to reverse the degradation of ecosystems and protect our country’s environment, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has issued 10 main propaganda slogans such as: Living in harmony with nature – conservation of biodiversity; The Earth needs us! let’s unite against climate change; prevent and reverse the loss of biodiversity ecosystems. In particular, the slogans also aim to change behavior from small things such as: use utensils from recycled materials; fishing in the wrong way destroys the biological balance; using green raw materials is contributing to environmental protection; environmental pollution from the use of pesticides, single-use plastic products and non-biodegradable plastic bags; rational use of biodiversity resources; biodiversity – life sustaining journey; act for nature – our responsibility. On that basis, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment called on ministries, departments, branches, central and local mass organizations, organizations and individuals to jointly come up with initiatives to restore Vietnam’s ecosystem at the same time. determined to act synchronously to implement the following solutions based on nature; building and implementing circular economy models, sustainable use and optimization of natural resources. At the local level, the locality needs to thoroughly solve the problems Environmental pollution from waste, garbage; collect waste on both sides and on sea water, rivers, streams, ponds and lakes, restore vegetation on wetlands; control fishing activities in a sustainable way; encouraging the implementation of environmental protection works, serving the interests of the community…/.

Theme of World Environment Day 2021: “Ecosystem Restoration”. (Photo: nationbytes.com) On June 5, 1972, on the opening day of the first World Environment Conference held in Stockholm, Sweden, World Environment Day was officially proclaimed by the United Nations Environment Program. During the session on December 15, 1972, the United Nations General Assembly (UN) issued an official resolution. Since then, World Environment Day June 5 has been solemnly celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world. The purpose of World Environment Day is to focus worldwide attention on the importance of the environment and to encourage political attention and environmental action. This event makes environmental issues humane; empowering people to be active agents of equitable and sustainable development; improve communities’ understanding of the key role in changing behavior towards environmental issues; ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. 2021: Launching Ecosystem Recovery World Environment Day 2021 will see the start of the “Decade of Ecosystem Restoration”. The UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration is a rallying call to protect and revitalize ecosystems worldwide, for the benefit of people and nature. Ecosystems play an extremely important role in human life, providing people with invaluable benefits such as stabilizing the climate, purifying the air, providing oxygen, providing water, food, etc. medicine… In addition, ecosystems are also habitats for wildlife species. However, ecosystems are currently experiencing the fastest degradation rates in human history because they are facing enormous threats such as deforestation; water pollution of lakes, rivers and streams; wetlands become dry; coastal and marine areas are degraded and overexploited. According to the study, the degradation of land and marine ecosystems reduces the well-being of 3.2 billion people and causes an estimated 10% loss of global gross product annually due to the loss of species and ecosystem services. Currently, about 20% of the planet’s vegetation surface shows trends in productivity reductions related to erosion, depletion and pollution in all parts of the world. By 2050, degradation and climate change could reduce crop yields globally by 10% and up to 50% in some regions. In response to this situation, on March 1, 2021, the United Nations General Assembly declared the period 2021 – 2030 as the “Decade of Ecosystem Restoration” to scale up the restoration of ecosystems. degraded and destroyed ecosystems to combat the climate crisis, increase food security, water resources and biodiversity. Ecosystem Restoration means assisting in the restoration of degraded or destroyed ecosystems, as well as preserving intact ecosystems. Healthier ecosystems, with richer biodiversity, offer more benefits to humans such as more fertile soils, greater fish and wood production, and greater amounts of stored greenhouse gases. . All types of ecosystems can be restored, including forests, farmland, cities, wetlands, and oceans. Recovery initiatives can be launched by almost anyone, from governments and development agencies to businesses, communities and individuals. Because there are many and varied causes of ecosystem degradation and at different scales. The UN’s “Decade of Ecosystem Restoration” runs from 2021 to 2030, which is also the final deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals and the timeline that scientists have identified as the foundation. Last chance to avert catastrophic climate change. Only with healthy ecosystems can we enhance people’s livelihoods, limit disease, combat climate change and prevent the collapse of biodiversity.

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.

GS. Vo Quy loves nature , interested in raising birds from a young age, he soon oriented himself to pursue a major in Ornithology right from the moment he started teaching at the Department of Biology, Hanoi University (1956). Ornithologist Vo Quy. “I have a habit of watching birds since I was 5-6 years old, so I know all the birds in my hometown. Knowing the habits of each species such as what time to wake up, when to return to the nest, what fruit to eat, how to reproduce… When I went to university, I decided to follow the path of science and birds become my research object”, while still alive, Prof. Vo Quy once confided to the press. When he was just over 30 years old, GS. Vo Quy discovered a new species of pheasant – Hemorrhoids Ha Tinh, in Ke Go area (Ky Anh district, Ha Tinh province). Although scientists around the world refused to recognize his discovery, Prof. Vo Quy Kien still persists in researching Tri Lam Ha Tinh (also known as “big chicken” in the local language). Twenty years later, those documents convinced international scientists and the International Council for the Protection of Birds (ICBP) to name this bird “in memory of the man who discovered and accurately described a species of bird.” Rare new hemorrhoids. Up to now, GS. Vo Quy and his colleagues and students made information records for more than 1,000 species and subspecies of birds in our country. He wrote 14 books about birds such as: “Birds of Vietnam” (volumes 1, 2), “Life of birds”, “List of birds in Vietnam”…; is the main translator of 3 books on the environment and is also the author of more than 100 scientific works published in the country and abroad. Therefore, this brilliant scientist was loved by his colleagues and students as “the ornithologist”. In his scientific life, besides birds, Prof. Vo Quy conducts many research projects on rare animal species as well as many other fields of biodiversity and environment. Attaching life to… Agent Orange Knowledge of birds has made Prof. Vo Quy noticed the impact of toxic chemicals (dioxins) on Vietnam. Because he understood that where there were birds, there was life. The images he recorded of the vast forests dying from Agent Orange, the desolate landscape, without a single bird call convinced the world about the terrible impact of Agent Orange on the environment. our country school. GS. Vo Quy on a business trip. He started working on dioxin research in the 1970s. In the smoke and fire of the war in the South, at the suggestion of Prof. Ton That Tung, he and a group of scientists went to survey the war consequences caused by US chemical poisons in the Ben Hai area. However, at that time, the war was fierce, the delegation of Prof. When Vo Quy entered Hien Luong, he could not cross the 17th parallel to enter the South, the trip was unsuccessful. In 1974, despite knowing many difficulties and dangers, Prof. Vo Quy resolutely applied to enter the South again, bringing a delegation of 10 people. Three months of diving along Truong Son Road. He witnessed with his own eyes thousands of hectares of forests were sprayed with toxic chemicals by the US, all life was brutally destroyed. During that survey, Prof. Vo Quy and his colleagues recorded 300 16-millimeter movies of vast forests with old trees that many people could not hold to die from Agent Orange. The landscape was desolate, not a single bird chirping, gibbons singing. It was from what he witnessed firsthand that made GS. Vo Quy came to the conclusion as early as the 1980s that it would take hundreds of years for two million hectares of poisoned forest to regenerate itself. “The work of resurrecting the dead land is extremely difficult. Where it is sprayed a few times, the remaining trees may have a chance to regenerate, where it is sprayed many times, the trees die, the soil is eroded, the grass is covered, the American grass is covered, the forest trees are very difficult to grow. return without human impact.” In addition, GS. Vo Quy further affirmed, even if people try to plant forests, but do not fully understand the characteristics of the land degraded by toxic chemicals, in order to choose suitable tree species, afforestation will be difficult to succeed. public. He estimates that the cost of planting a patch of forest contaminated with toxic chemicals is 10 times more expensive than planting a plot of normal forest. Therefore, unable to wait for the forest to regenerate naturally, he and his colleagues proposed a solution to afforestation and received many responses from many localities. In 1994, at the Global Strategy Conference on the Environment in Canada, Prof. Vo Quy made the point that in order to protect forests, there must be community participation, persuading each person to be a ranger. Invite readers to watch the video: The 18-year-old girl in Dien Bien escaped from isolation twice. Source: THDT.

Musk cows in Greenland. Photo: Caff The habitat of animals in the Arctic has an area of ​​​​about 7 million square kilometers with an extremely cold, dry climate, strong winds in each season. The species living in this environment have adapted to survive and thrive in the harsh environment. But the climate crisis has taken a toll on their survival, according to the report on Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity, published by the Arctic Flora Conservation Working Group (Caff. ) belongs to AC. “Climate change is a major driver of change in terrestrial ecosystems in the Arctic and is likely to increase the magnitude of the impact, multidimensional, and unpredictable,” the report said. above said. The temperature in the Arctic is increasing at twice the rate of the rest of the world. This situation leads to extreme weather events that cause southern species to move north and spread pathogens among species inhabiting the area. During the AC ministerial meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland on Thursday, a report assessing the status and development trends of Arctic species was released for the first time, following a five-year assessment. Caff’s 2017 on Marine Biodiversity. This report draws on decades of biodiversity monitoring in the area to provide an overview of the changes that have occurred here. In some parts of the Arctic, the number of important pollinating flies has decreased by 80% between 1996 and 2014. Photo: Caff At the Zackenberg research station in northeastern Greenland, scientists have found that important species such as pollinators have reduced their populations by 80% between 1996–2014. This data reflects the disparity between the timing of flowering of plants and pollinator activity caused by climate. The researchers also found that more than 50% of the 88 species of seabirds surveyed had declined in number, and up to 20% of the species were severely reduced. “On the Arctic tundra, seabirds are the most diverse group of birds,” said Paul Allen Smith, biologist and avian expert who contributed to the report. It is also estimated based on different climate scenarios that 80% of seabird species living in the high Arctic could also lose most of their habitat and breeding grounds in the next 50 years. Photo: Caff With reindeer herds migrating from Russia to Alaska, Ms. Christine Cuyler, an expert and consultant of the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, said: “The number of reindeer individuals is always fluctuating, changing irregularly and there is a change in the number of reindeer individuals. abundance cycle”. “But in some cases, the amplitude of the fluctuation is tending to increase. Now, we are seeing fluctuations in the number of these species falling beyond historical records,” Ms. Cuyler pointed out. The majority of forest reindeer populations and species migrating to the Arctic tundra have declined in recent years. The Bathurst reindeer herd alone, which stretches from Canada’s Northwest Territories to Nunavut, has declined by 98% between 1986 and 2018. Ms. Cuyler said a number of factors that make this animal unable to survive the winter could be responsible for this decline, including the depletion of the main food source, snowfall, insects. pest infestation,… Rising temperatures in the Arctic also cause new pathogens to emerge that adversely affect the health of some species. In 2012, an outbreak of erysipelas, a bacterial infection that affects the skin, killed about 150 musk cows on Banks Island. “Bacteria are present all over the world, but when it comes to the Arctic, it’s completely unusual,” Cuyler said. “It usually won’t work in areas with low temperatures, cold climates. Things are changing as the Arctic is warming.” Furthermore, due to global warming climate change, mammal species are moving north. It is likely that the condition will become a source of parasites and new diseases, directly affecting species living in the area. The report also shows some facts about species that migrate to the Arctic, such as: red foxes compete with and even kill arctic foxes for lairs. In Alaska, brown bears are also competing for muskox habitat. “What’s happening is completely different from before and it’s devastating,” Cuyler said. As species move north, terrestrial ecosystems in the Arctic will increasingly shrink. “Extreme weather events – wildfires or devastating insects – will have systemic consequences for many years in the Arctic,” said Niels Martin Schmidt, a researcher at Aarhus University and also a researcher at Aarhus University. participants reported, emphasized. Sapphire According to The Guardian

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Photo: THX/VNA Human happiness and well-being can be greatly improved by prioritizing nature-based solutions – United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres affirmed at the Fifth Session of the United Nations Conference. The United Nations Environment Council took place in February. This message was reiterated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the occasion of this year’s International Day of Biodiversity, 22 May, that each of us plays an important role in protecting biodiversity and protecting nature by establish balance in the relationship between man and the Earth. Or to put it more simply, choosing a lifestyle in harmony with nature is the best way for people to develop sustainably and avoid the risk of new diseases, because humans are an important piece of the puzzle. natural change. This is also the theme of the International Day of Biodiversity May 22 this year: “We are part of the solution – For nature.” Biodiversity has long been a global issue. Currently, there are millions of plant and animal species that are in danger of extinction due to human impacts. According to the report of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), there are 5 main causes of biodiversity loss which are changes in land use demand; overexploitation of wild animals and plants; Climate Change; environmental pollution and invasive alien organisms. Meanwhile, the process of globalization is increasing the movement of species beyond the inherent natural range through tourism, trade, etc., disrupting native ecosystems and the environment. The year 2021 is considered an important milestone in the conservation of ecosystems on Earth, marking the 10th anniversary of the UN declaration of the period 2011-2020 as the “United Nations Decade on Biodiversity”. is the transition step for a new phase “Decade of Ecosystem Restoration” (period 2021-2030). 10 years ago, then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on all humanity to protect biodiversity on Earth, emphasizing that sustainable human development depends heavily on diversity. this. At that time, the head of the United Nations emphasized that people can never get precious opportunities and miracles from nature, such as natural medicines to cure incurable diseases, when many ecosystems are permanently destroyed or the land becomes unusable. From this perspective to the health crisis related to COVID-19 that the world is grappling with, people are increasingly aware that biodiversity and ecosystems are tied to human survival and Protecting nature and ecosystems also means protecting our own lives. However, the UN warns that the rate at which biodiversity loss is occurring is unprecedented. In a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Forest and Global Change, scientists estimate that only 3% of the world’s land area (excluding Antarctica) is still ecologically intact, with healthy primitive animal populations and undisturbed habitats. One million species of plants and animals out of a total of 8 million species on Earth are on the verge of extinction. Some scientists think that the sixth mass extinction on Earth is beginning and will have serious consequences for food, clean water and air. The theme of this year’s International Day of Biodiversity is a continuation of the 2020 theme “Our solutions are available in nature”. This is seen as a reminder that biodiversity is still an important solution, an option for sustainable development. Therefore, from nature-based solutions to climate, health, food security, drinking water and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity is the foundation on which people around the world can Build back better. 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. The conservation of species on Earth is no longer in the framework of “altruism” but plays an important role in ensuring human life. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic forces people to rethink the protective role of biodiversity against infectious diseases. There is evidence that biodiversity loss can increase the number of cases of communicable diseases. infection from animals to humans. In fact, 70% of infectious diseases spreading in recent years originate in animals. Therefore, the more the “health” of the ecosystem declines, the more fragile the immune “wall” between humans and pathogens will be. Looking back on 10 years of implementation of the “United Nations Decade on Biodiversity”, the world has recognized encouraging human progress in the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. According to a report by the World Conservation Monitoring Center of UNEP and the World Union for the Conservation of Nature, 22.5 million square kilometers of land and ecosystems Inland waters along with 28.1 million square kilometers of coastline and oceans have been preserved in the past 10 years.Another encouraging result was also noted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). 59 million hectares of forest have regenerated since 2000, enough to cover France.WWF emphasizes that protecting and restoring forests is a better climate change solution than planting trees because existing forests not only absorb more greenhouse gases but also protect wildlife and biodiversity. 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 one of the countries with the most important and diverse biodiversity in the world, both in terms of marine and terrestrial ecosystems (especially forest and mangrove ecosystems). To protect this “treasure” of nature, Vietnam officially ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity on October 17, 1994, and made great strides in the conservation of nature and biodiversity. As a result of this unremitting effort, a number of nature reserves in Vietnam have been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for their natural value, including three heritage sites. nature, 2 global geoparks, 9 bio-rights reserves and 2 wetlands located in two world bio-rights reserves. Vietnam also encourages the application of construction solutions to be effective and sustainable in terms of economy, society, and natural environment; promote the implementation of conservation and sustainable use models, apply the ecosystem approach in integrated management of coastal zones, river basins, sustainable forest management, focusing on the role and interests of communities. copper. However, Vietnam’s conservation efforts are currently facing many challenges, such as deforestation, illegal logging, over-exploitation, economic growth, and population pressures. . The COVID-19 that has raged for more than a year is a reminder of the close relationship between humans and nature, when humans themselves have been depleting resources faster than nature can regenerate. Therefore, only humans can make a change for nature, in other words, humans are the most important piece of the solution to protect biodiversity and nature on Earth.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change do not occur at the same time, both crises have similarities. COVID-19 and climate change both cause significant loss of life COVID-19 is known to particularly impact the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, causing severe respiratory illness. Climate change affects all health-related factors such as air quality, drinking water, food supplies and shelter. Climate change is expected to cause an additional 250,000 deaths annually between 2030 and 2050. COVID-19 has claimed the lives of 2.3 million people worldwide since the pandemic began. COVID-19 and climate change highlight the gap between rich and poor Both the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change are known to impact certain demographic groups. Studies have shown that the vulnerable and disadvantaged pay more in both crises, with the poor suffering more from the impacts of climate change and the pandemic than the rich. There has long been a disparity between the poor and the rich in terms of health care. Pandemics and climate change highlight these disparities. Putting the worldwide healthcare system in crisis Ultimately, both crises pushed regional healthcare systems around the world to the limit. Climate change and COVID-19 have resulted in large numbers of people being hospitalized, forcing countries to reassess how they manage their health care systems. The COVID-91 pandemic and climate change have many similarities. Is climate change the cause of the COVID-19 outbreak? In January 2021, an article published in the journal Science of the Total Environment revealed evidence that climate change may be a direct cause in the emergence of the virus that causes the COVID pandemic. -19, acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoV-2. An international team of scientists from institutions in the UK, Germany and the US has linked climate change caused by climate change to COVID-19. They emphasize that the number of bat species present is related to the number of coronaviruses in a particular environment. Due to climate change, factors such as temperature, atmospheric CO2 and cloud cover are evolving. These factors have a direct influence on the growth process of plants and trees. Climate change is affecting natural habitats and ecosystems through altering environmental factors. Even small adjustments can have a big impact on the species living in the ecosystem. Climate changes have directly created a favorable environment for many bat species to thrive, allowing the emergence of new coronaviruses – including the SARS-CoV-2 strain. COVID-19 is not the only infectious disease linked to climate change. For years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the link between changing environmental conditions and disease outbreaks. It is hoped that this linkage can now become central, forcing policymakers to consider the far-reaching impacts of climate change and devise calculated strategies to avert the damage. environment further and reverse the damage already done if possible. Climate changes create conditions for many new viruses to emerge. What needs to be done to prevent epidemics and climate change? Experts have suggested that tailoring government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change would enable an overall improvement in public health, as well as promote a sustainable economic future. sustainable for regions around the world. In addition, aligning responses offers an opportunity to protect the planet’s biodiversity and limit subsequent changes to diverse ecosystems. Just as anthropogenic climate change affects disease outbreaks, wildlife trade is an important factor in the spread of zoonotic diseases such as SARS-CoV-2. . The illegal wildlife trade causes people to mix with different species of animals where they are not supposed to, which promotes animal diseases. Climate change and infectious diseases cause preventable losses of life. Through strategic adjustments, it is possible to prevent the loss of life. In the coming years, more strategies will be implemented to modify human behaviours, so that they have less impact on the environment and limit the spread of infectious diseases.

Vietnam is valued as one of the world’s leading biodiversity countries In the face of a decline in biodiversity, the United Nations’ Biodiversity Commission (IPBES) has warned future pandemics will occur more often, kill more people and damage even worse. without a fundamental change in human behavior towards nature. Loss of biodiversity seriously affects people In fact, the use of natural resources for development activities has made ecosystems around the world degraded. Along with environmental pollution, biodiversity loss of ecological balance, climate change leads to serious health consequences, especially the recent epidemic situation, which profoundly affects the economy. global society. Thereby forcing people to recognize and raise their awareness of their actions with nature and with our own living environment. As we know biodiversity is important to humans, providing 18 basic services globally to sustain human activities and development. However, according to the assessment report on Biodiversity and Global Ecosystem Services of the Intergovernmental Forum on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES Report), the ratio of forest cover per globally, coral reef ecosystems have the highest decline in survival index and 25% of the species studied are threatened with extinction; Many species groups are assessed as highly threatened with extinction, in which the group with the highest percentage of species at risk of extinction are amphibians, mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Besides, 3/4 of the land area on Earth has been seriously degraded due to human activities. Human impacts include unsustainable exploitation of the environment through deforestation, agricultural expansion, wildlife trade and consumption. These activities put people in increasingly close contact with wild and domestic animals, as well as the diseases they harbor. Accordingly, up to 850,000 viruses like the new strain of corona virus, exist in animals and can infect humans. Habitat destruction and insatiable consumption have made zoonotic diseases more likely to spread to humans in the future. Science has also shown that loss of biodiversity can promote disease transmission from animals to humans – on the other hand, if we keep biodiversity intact, it provides excellent tools to fight pandemics. As with diseases caused by corona viruses, US scientists found that about 75% of the intermediate hosts of many disease-causing viruses are primates, bats and mice. In 2020, a study investigating SARS-CoV-2 infection from 16 ferret farms in the Netherlands, was presented at the ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Related Diseases held online from 23-25. -9, indicating that the virus is capable of infecting humans and ferrets and vice versa. And in fact, in Vietnam, there are also emerging serious and zoonotic diseases with the potential to develop into a pandemic. In recent years, Vietnam has been affected by SARS, avian influenza type A (H5N1), influenza A (H5N6) and pandemic influenza A (H1N1)… Therefore, in recent years, ministries, branches and localities need to strengthen activities to control wildlife trade and exploit migratory wild species according to Directive No. 29/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister Government on some urgent solutions for wildlife management and related guiding and operating documents; manage and control invasive alien species; restore degraded ecosystems; protect the natural landscape and biodiversity. As such, “Human activities cause climate change and biodiversity loss, and lead to the risk of pandemics due to the impact on the environment. Changes in land use; agricultural expansion and intensification; Unsustainable trade, production and consumption have damaged nature and increased contact between wildlife, domestic animals, pathogens and humans. This is the path to the pandemic.” According to Dr. Peter Daszak, President of the EcoHealth Alliance emphasized. Join hands to conserve biodiversity Pano propaganda on International Day of Biodiversity May 22 22 Currently, in Vietnam, the Government, the Prime Minister and all ministries and branches are interested in sustainable development, green economy, harmony, and nature. That is one of the factors that ensure 50% success in our journey to save biodiversity in Vietnam. And Vietnamese people have also realized their great responsibility in nature conservation, reducing the demand for wildlife consumption, and environmentally responsible consumption. This is a very favorable factor, the opportunity for Vietnam to not be lost on the world biodiversity map. The theme of the International Day of Biodiversity 2021 is “We’re part of the solution – For Nature”, selected and launched by the United Nations on a global scale. With the aim of raising public awareness of biodiversity, science has proven that biodiversity is the foundation of economy, food security, livelihoods and human health. join hands of the whole society to preserve nature and biodiversity – that is to protect our own life on earth. In response to the International Day of Biodiversity, in 2021, recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has sent a written request to the central ministries, departments, branches and mass organizations; People’s Committees of provinces and centrally run cities; socio-political organizations, mass organizations; Associations, corporations, enterprises and related units are interested in, directing, guiding and coordinating in organizing response activities. According to Mr. Le Cong Thanh – Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, “Vietnam is also protecting and conserving biodiversity with many policies and measures such as environmental impact assessment, integration of Objectives require the protection and conservation of nature and biodiversity in the planning strategies, socio-economic development programs from the central to local levels. Zoning and establishing conservation areas for endangered species with genetic resources of plant varieties, domestic animals and wild species, restoring forest ecology, coral reef ecosystems, sea palm trees. Planting green and greening bare land and bare hills. Then plant trees in urban areas, industrial parks, traffic routes and have very encouraging results.” Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic around the world, the International Day of Biodiversity 2021 will be celebrated through an online campaign. And the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment proposed to implement synchronously strategies, projects, tasks and solutions on research and application of nature-based solutions, approaching ecosystems in the process of building formulation of national, regional and provincial plannings; establishment and effective management of nature reserves; promote the implementation of conservation and sustainable use models; apply the ecosystem approach in integrated management of coastal zones, river basins, sustainable forest management, focusing on the role and interests of the community. As we all know, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Tran Hong Ha once said that: “Biodiversity conservation is an ethical issue”. That further shows that the relationship between humans and the natural environment is not only the morality between people but also our own responsibility and morality with nature. Making each of us need to better understand our responsibilities when life needs a clean environment to live, needs clean food to eat but destroys nature by human hands. Therefore, once again, it is necessary to recognize and be more aware of how to respect and harmonize people with “mother nature” – only then all pandemics and natural disasters will limit the occurrence of people in the future. . Le Cong Thanh – Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in response to the International Day of Biodiversity: “Nature conservation, biodiversity conservation is the responsibility of each of us, practical actions are to plant more trees, say no to consuming wild animals, and actively protect rare and precious animals and plants. It is practical concrete action, small action, great meaning. Each person takes an action to spread and join hands to protect the environment. Protect life on our planet” “The health of people and ecosystems is increasingly connected. As humans encroach on nature and deplete vital habitats, the risks associated with disease are also increasing. Loss of biodiversity poses a threat to all aspects of life, including human health. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic still raging, let’s each contribute to protecting biodiversity to prevent future pandemics. Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations

The information and images collected by him are valuable documents to help scientists and experts of FFI discover the world’s second largest population of langurs in Kim Bang forest. After that, Mr. Hien volunteered to join the Community Conservation Team and was appointed as team leader. Thanks to this Community Conservation Team, from 2016-2018, the number of langurs recorded grew from 40 individuals to more than 100 individuals. Stories like Mr. Hien became the inspiration in the Program “Honoring organizations and individuals who have made great contributions to wildlife conservation in the period 2010-2020” in response to the International Day of Biodiversity. (22.5). The period 2010-2020 was declared by the United Nations General Assembly as the “United Nations Decade for Biodiversity”. Photo: vuonquocgiavuquang.vn. The period 2010-2020 has been declared by the United Nations General Assembly as the “United Nations Decade for Biodiversity” in order to achieve a shared commitment of countries to protect more than 8 million species of flora and fauna in the world. threatened to balance life on the planet. “Humanity may never know the precious opportunities of incurable diseases or other beneficial discoveries from nature because many ecosystems are permanently destroyed or soils are polluted. unusable,” said Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, calling on all humanity to protect the biodiversity on Earth. The call comes as biodiversity on Earth is declining at an increasingly faster rate. More than 1 million species are in danger of extinction. Human activities have changed 75% of the land surface and 66% of the ocean area. Vietnam is in the Top 16 countries with the highest biodiversity in the world, but biodiversity is under increasing pressure due to human activities and climate change. It is noteworthy that human activities are increasingly seriously harming the balance of nature. To counter this trend, over the past decade, many individuals, scientists and conservation organizations have worked to protect wildlife with a series of research, new species discovery and initiatives, jointly provide many effective conservation solutions in Vietnam. Some newly discovered species include Euscorpiopsis Cavernicola scorpion (in Ba Be district, Bac Kan province) and Vietbocap thienduongensis scorpion (Phong Nha – Ke Bang national park, Quang Binh province). The new findings not only have scientific significance but also have high practical value because scorpion venom is a potential natural raw material for the current and future pharmaceutical industry. In addition, precious tree species such as Moc Huong (Aristolochia), genus Arachniodes,… are also studied for their phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships to serve practical applications. Through research, many plant species with medicinal and production value are identified and have a reasonable conservation plan. Many organizations and individuals that have made great contributions to wildlife conservation in the period 2010-2020 also recognized many initiatives and solutions, contributing to improving the effectiveness of efforts of all levels, sectors and the whole society. association in species conservation. For example, the breeding solution has successfully preserved the white-crested pheasant – a rare endemic bird of Vietnam. The distribution area of ​​this rare chicken is in Quang Tri province, previously there were almost no birds and animals due to hunting, trapping and illegal wildlife trade. As a result, the population of the wild Lam pheasant decreased sharply, the last individuals were in danger of extinction. In addition, the breeding pairing of white-bellied Cao Cat (located in Section II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – CITES) has also been successful, serving environmental education. and preserved in the future. Besides breeding solutions to conserve endangered species, other initiatives also focus on saving wildlife. In which, there are volunteer groups that have rescued 100 sea turtles, of which 94 individuals have been released into the sea; or the bear rescue process, bear farming in a semi-wild environment… These efforts contribute to changing people’s awareness of the importance of wildlife in the ecosystem associated with human life. In a recent report, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said that 90% of Vietnamese people support closing the wildlife trade market; 91% support the closure of restaurants that sell illegal and unregulated wildlife.

Peary reindeer on the British island of Ellesmere. This area is larger than France and Spain combined and three times the size of Germany. However, Canada has a natural area conservation goal called “30 by 30” that aims to preserve at least 30% of the country’s land and seas by 2030. Goal “30 by 30” To live up to the “30 by 30” goal, new protected areas must preserve biodiversity and secure areas for carbon storage, fresh water supply, or protection of recreational areas. based on nature. However, many of these key areas of great benefit coincide with competitive land uses such as agriculture, forestry, and natural resource extraction. This is a challenge for Canada. Traditional conservation methods may not be enough to achieve the “30 by 30” goal and new and innovative conservation methods are needed. The “30 by 30” goal comes from the “Coalition of High Ambitions for People and Nature” – a United Nations initiative to tackle the global climate crisis. 55 member states, including Canada, the European Union, Japan and Mexico, have committed to achieving the “30 by 30” goal. Other countries such as the United States, which are not full members of the alliance, have recently made similar commitments. The reason behind the 30% target is clear: It is imperative to ensure that natural areas that provide essential benefits to humanity such as food, clean water, clean air and a stable climate… are protected. This is considered an “ecosystem service” and is a collection of benefits that the natural environment brings to humans. Humans have dramatically changed, about 75% of the land on Earth, and have caused drastic negative impacts on at least 40% of the oceans, resulting in about a quarter of species being threatened with extinction. Low rates of global biodiversity and loss of natural areas now threaten the world’s natural life support systems, scientists say. Expanding protected land globally is key action that will help reverse these trends, thereby protecting biodiversity and benefiting people. A protected biodiversity area in Canada. Creative conservation Canada’s protected areas cover 12% of the country, and this area could have grown to 17% by the end of 2020 as new parks and new reserves are completed across the country. Expanding from 12% to 30% means adding an area roughly equivalent to the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba combined. One study found that about two-thirds of the area that provides fresh water and recreational opportunities for Canadians coincides with agricultural land and where resources (oil and gas, minerals, and timber) are owned. This highlights the need for innovative conservation approaches, especially those that focus on the landscape. While natural areas are often prioritized for conservation, farms, forests and pastures are also critical to achieving the 30% target. Landscape conservation requires new and flexible approaches. This could include landowners restoring and managing the land, adding wildflower bands to enhance field pollination, or improving soil and water management to protect water quality. In forests, it is necessary to protect old trees and their carbon stores by prioritizing forest ecosystem health and biodiversity over economic profit. In addition, it is necessary to maintain the complex forest structure by conserving large trees or creating gaps in the forest canopy and planting a variety of forest trees to conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. Among the techniques mentioned above, there are many techniques that are not new, but combining them in a conservation framework like other conventional techniques would be novel. Previous conservation methods have mainly relied on individual areas in the form of protected areas. It will also be new for governments to actively collaborate with communities, indigenous peoples and conservation groups to carry out conservation work. It is very important to combine the above methods to achieve the “30 by 30” goal. The good thing is that Canada already has a number of factors to make the above combination. Biosphere reserves combine the exploiting lands here to be highly protected, and provide a prime example of how to designate, manage, and operate diverse types of conservation and use. of human. Indigenous protected and conserved areas are another example that can enable countries to manage, use and protect traditional lands according to their legal and cultural systems. These are being applied more and more in Canada. Finally, urban parks such as Rouge National Park in Toronto have been a major benefit to city dwellers and help connect those living in neighborhoods with nature. A forest in Canada. Challenges and benefits Major obstacles to the use of these new conservation methods include the need to rigorously evaluate whether conservation practices are effective. Many of the methods mentioned above are not easily suited to this type of assessment. Next is the “30 by 30” goal of biodiversity conservation, while some of the methods above focus on ecosystem services first and then on biodiversity. How will we decide between these different approaches? The new approaches are complex, requiring large capital and cooperation between governments and communities. In addition, it is difficult to implement and monitor after the method is established, which can lead to unexpected delays and delays. Despite these challenges, new conservation approaches have real potential to conserve some of the most threatened species and ecosystem services where the risk of harm is highest. This ensures the achievement of the “30 by 30” goal of conserving nature and the essential benefits it brings to people.

Elephants in the Central Highlands. (Photo source: PV/Vietnam+) Wild animals and plants play an important role in maintaining ecological balance, ensuring Ecosystem are complete systems, contributing to the provision of ecosystem services for sustainable development, bringing direct benefits to people. The strengthening of wildlife protection is one of the most important tasks of biodiversity conservation. A clear legal system, behavior change communication, and effective law enforcement are considered to be the three decisive factors for the success of a conservation campaign. VNA introduces a series of 4 articles “Joining hands to protect wildlife in Vietnam.” Lesson 1: Facing a downtrend According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Committee in the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, the rate at which biodiversity is being degraded is unprecedented in history. One million plant and animal species out of a total of 8 million species on earth are on the verge of extinction. In Vietnam, in recent years, biodiversity resources are continuing to decline. The situation of illegal hunting, killing, slaughtering, transporting, trading, and consuming wild animals is still complicated, leading to an increase in the risk of extinction of many wild animals in the environment. nature, negatively affecting ecological balance, human health and the country’s reputation in the international arena. There is also a risk of disease transmission to humans, livestock and poultry. Biodiversity is reduced mainly due to natural loss, overexploitation, climate change, environmental pollution from the use of pesticides, plastic products… and invasive species. In which, urbanization, deforestation, and agricultural development are the main causes causing nearly 75% of the terrestrial environment to be changed, causing species and ecosystems to decline. The wildlife trade has also created many consequences, wreaking havoc on the environment, severely reducing species populations with 67% of animals worldwide already in decline. High diversity comes with risk extinction increase According to the 6th national report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Vietnam currently has about 51,400 species of organisms that have been identified, including 7,500 species/microorganism strains, about 20,000 terrestrial and aquatic plant species, 10,900 species of terrestrial animals, 2,000 species of invertebrates and freshwater fish, and 11,000 other marine species. Many species have great value for conservation, contribute to science and affirm the global importance of Vietnam’s biodiversity, such as saola, silver-backed chevrotain, giant gill, Truong Son gill, striped rabbit, etc. Asian elephants, bison, gray cows, tigers, leopards, star deer, primates, sea turtles and freshwater tortoises… The International Bird Conservation Organization has also identified Vietnam as having 63 important bird areas. important. Compared with other countries in Indochina, the fauna of Vietnam is quite rich in species composition and has a high degree of endemism. Of the 21 monkey species found in this region, Vietnam has 15 species, of which 7 are endemic species and subspecies. Of the 49 endemic bird species in the region, Vietnam has 33 species, of which 10 are endemic to Vietnam alone. From 2014-2018, 334 new species were discovered for science including 208 animal species, 136 plant species described and published in prestigious international scientific journals and the Institute’s Journal of Biology Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. According to statistics, the number of species and individuals of Vietnam’s wild species is on a sharp decline, many endangered, precious and rare species are at very high risk of extinction. Like the Ho Guom turtle, there are only 4 known living individuals in the world, including 1 individual in China and 3 individuals in Vietnam. Other large mammals such as elephants, tigers, bears, big cats and pangolins are also threatened with extinction if no resolute and effective protection measures are taken. Sao la – a species endemic to the Truong Son range is also on the verge of extinction. Investigation and monitoring efforts to date have not found any populations of the species in the wild. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List updated in November 2020, the number of threatened species distributed in Vietnam is 745 species, including 64 mammal species, 53 bird species, 70 reptile species, etc. 45 species of amphibians and 96 species of fish. The total number of wild species recorded in the Red Book of Vietnam is 882 species, of which 464 are precious and rare animals (an increase of 108 species within 10 years). There are 116 species that are critically endangered and 6 species that have been converted from different endangered levels to considered extinct, including two-horned rhinoceros, gray bull, tapir, otter civet, lilac crocodile, star deer . The 2016 species inventory proposed to include 1,211 species in the updated Red Book, including 600 species of plants and 611 species of animals. Compared with the 2007 Red Book, the number of threatened and endangered species has increased significantly. Big challenge According to the assessment of the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (General Department of Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), the conservation of wild animals and plants is facing many challenges and limitations. . The issue of protecting wild species, especially endangered, precious and rare species has not yet been unified in the approach to management and conservation; management regime for species in different categories. Especially in matters of criteria for species identification, the list of endangered, precious and rare species and endangered, precious and rare species are prioritized for protection. An otter belonging to group 1B, imprisoned in an iron cage, is illegally sold by stall owner Yen Tam in Thanh Hoa, Long An province in 2020 for 10 million VND. (Photo: Hung Vo/Vietnam+) Duplicating the list leads to an overlap in management regimes and makes it difficult to apply legal documents as well as handle violations in practice. Specifically, the three-bar box turtle belongs to the list of endangered, precious and rare species prioritized for protection and is not allowed to be traded, but at the same time belongs to group IIB – forest plants and animals that are not yet threatened. extinct, but at risk of being threatened if not strictly managed, limited exploitation and use for commercial purposes. The overexploitation and use of wildlife resources, deforestation, and conversion of forest use purposes also lead to habitat loss of species leading to increasing conflicts between humans and species in the region. nature. Species conservation programs are approved by the authorities, but in practice there are few resources to implement. The demand for illegal and unsustainable consumption of endangered wild species for food, medicine, pets, decoration… still exists. The illegal trade in these species is increasingly sophisticated, organized and complicated, with elements of transnational crime. Law enforcement is still limited and ineffective due to lack of resources, including physical, human and financial facilities. Remuneration regimes and policies for enforcement officers are not commensurate with the high responsibilities and risks when facing this crime. The specialized force’s ability to fight against this type of violation on endangered, precious and rare wild species has not yet kept up with the sophisticated and professional tricks of criminals. Some shortcomings and gaps in legal documents make it difficult to handle violations such as the lack of regulations on handling exhibits. In practice, it may take a lot of time for the investigating agency, the procuracies or the people’s court, the trial panel to make a decision, or it may also take time to get the assessment results when the individuals Live and healthy wild animals need to be treated and immediately released back into the wild, which is very expensive to preserve until the case is heard. Cooperation between enforcement agencies has improved, but there has not been a close coordination mechanism, no guidance on the investigation process after the arrest of wildlife individuals or products, including: including the process of making and transferring dossiers from customs, border guards and forest rangers to the police, assessment agencies, procuracies and courts; handling wild animals and their parts after confiscation. In addition, the awareness of the whole society towards species conservation, biodiversity conservation has been improved, but there are still many limitations. Some parts of the people still have a high demand to use endangered wildlife, leading to increased hunting, trading and consumption. Awareness of all levels and branches has been raised, but not enough and not drastically to contribute to the conservation of endangered, precious and rare species effectively and comprehensively. Deputy Director of the Center for Education for Nature (Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations) Bui Thi Ha said that corruption is also a big obstacle to wildlife law enforcement efforts because there are With the help of a number of corrupt officials, many criminals have been and are blatantly committing crimes without fear of being discovered, arrested, put on trial or facing punishment. prison./.

Experts from the Hanoi Wildlife Rescue Center directly carry out the re-release of king cobras and Chinese cobras to the forest. Photo: Thanh Dat/VNA Master Ha Hong, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Environment and Urbanism, a person with 30 years of experience in environmental propaganda, including wildlife, said that there are barriers when performing this task. According to Master Ha Hong, when social networks develop, one of the factors that “help” reduce biodiversity is the rampant appearance of advertising pages for wildlife trade. In 2019 alone, the Wildlife Protection Department of the Nature Education Center has recorded more than 2,400 cases of wildlife advertising on facebook, youtube, zalo, tiktok and other websites. This number shows no signs of decreasing when the first 4 months of 2020 recorded 424 violations. Meanwhile, the force of news and propaganda for this segment is both lacking and in-depth. In other countries, reporters writing about environmental protection are required to have two university degrees (journalism and environment or equivalent). In Vietnam, reporters mostly have only one of two university degrees (journalism or environmental related majors). Journalism schools and journalism departments of many universities do not have training courses for specialized reporters. Many international organizations, journalism schools, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment sometimes organize field trips and seminars in the field of wildlife, but only at the level of “riding horses to see flowers”. Many press agencies have rotated reporters continuously, there are no correspondents specializing in the field. Master Ha Hong emphasized, to approach investigating a hot incident in a city, industrial park, or factory is not simple, but it is nonetheless much more convenient when crossing passes, wading streams, and crossing forests every week. It takes months, even years, to obtain documents documenting the illegal cutting of precious and rare tree species or hunting and catching wild animals. Access to reporters is also very dangerous because violators are often familiar with the terrain and are ready to use weapons to defend themselves. Currently, many press agencies have to account for their own operating expenses, so the funding for a group of reporters who travels for many days to write investigative reports is limited, causing difficulties due to the inability to access the checkpoints. , border gate, customs to collect information related to the transportation and consumption of wild species. Therefore, the propaganda information is not much, mainly news and articles based on reports of the management agencies, so it is not lively and not detectable. Adding another barrier if not “sticking” to the end, finding out clearly to have specific recommendations when monitoring and information about wild species and vice versa will achieve high propaganda effectiveness. Master Ha Hong shared that 5 animals are listed in Vietnam’s list of 100 most endangered species in the world, including saola, white-crested pheasant, Ho Guom turtle, marlin and snub-nosed langur. More than 20 years of propagating about the cultural land of Ho Guom, including the Ho Guom turtle, even after the turtle died, with the author having 194 direct sightings of floating turtles. These events were published on the websites of the mass media. Many photos of red-eared turtles appearing in Hoan Kiem Lake are also warned because this is one of the animals that threaten the food source of turtles and other species living in the lake. In addition, it is warned that the use of excavator buckets to dredge the lake will seriously destroy the mud ecosystem of Sword Lake. In early 2011, the photo reportage of the Ho Guom turtle swimming with a series of mottled and scratched marks on the back of author Ha Hong was published, attracting the attention of readers, contributing to urging the authorities of Ha Hong. Hanoi accelerates treatment plan for Hoan Kiem Lake turtle. The cause of the turtle’s scratches is that the turtle often goes through the sewage pipe from Ngoc Son temple to the sewer at Dinh Tien Hoang double street. Previously, this water pipe was pinned to the bottom, then turned up, floating on the water surface. Therefore, the city quickly replaced the sewage pipe, buried underground under the columns of The Huc bridge. Thanks to providing scientists with a set of close-up photos of the Sword Lake turtle with accurate images, in 2019, Master Ha Hong was invited to the Scientific Council to accept and make a specimen of the Sword Lake turtle according to current technology. The world’s most advanced plasticizer is made by scientists from the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology and two scientists from the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2020, scientists discovered another individual turtle of the same species as the Sword Lake turtle in Dong Mo Lake. Thus, Vietnam currently has 3 individuals of these turtles, of which 2 are in Dong Mo lake and 1 individual in An Khanh lake. The Hanoi People’s Committee has a plan to preserve this turtle. In addition, in order to overcome cognitive barriers, many NGOs have taken appropriate measures when social networks thrive. International humanitarian organization in Vietnam released the short film “In the future, the big baby” touched the hearts of passengers of Vietnam Airlines (Vietnam Airlines) with a message of hope to end rhino poaching. in Africa, in an effort to reduce demand for rhino horn and wildlife products. The Center for Education for Nature has released a media short film “Your Nightmare-Reality of a Bear” showing the cruel reality of bear bile farming facilities in Vietnam, which requires a change in behavior with humans. nature to avoid unfortunate consequences. The short film “Monkeys are not pets” to raise awareness for people to end the situation of keeping monkeys as pets – an illegal activity that is very popular in Vietnam today. Basic and long-term solution Langur species is conserved in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Photo: VNA Master Ha Hong suggested that the basic and long-term solution for effective propaganda is to open training courses for journalists specializing in the environment in general and wildlife in particular in journalism training schools or journalism departments. solstice. Each student graduates with two university degrees or equivalent in journalism and environment. The authorities need to organize specialized training courses, fostering professional skills for reporters who are monitoring the environmental field every 1 or 2 years. Funding for the internship is enough to support reporters of some press agencies to write articles for many periods. In the process of reporters collecting information, there is an agency to act as a focal point to coordinate with forest rangers, market managers, and local authorities. The solutions in Directive 29 in 2020 of the Prime Minister should be well implemented. The Ministry of Information and Communications directs press agencies to strengthen information and propaganda on the law and solutions to protect wildlife; coordinate with concerned agencies in preventing and strictly handling acts of abusing telecommunications networks and the internet for advertising purposes; exhibiting, propagating, trading in wild animal samples has been banned according to the provisions of law. Mass media agencies shall coordinate with ministries, branches and localities in strengthening propaganda and dissemination of laws on wildlife management; continue to propagate about not using illegal wildlife. Besides, organizing the prize for writing about wildlife every 2 years, launching a movement for reporters to say no to the use of products made from illegal wild animals and plants such as maple syrup. “Drink not drive” movement… Chairman of the Scientific Council of the Party Central Committee Phung Huu Phu emphasized the urgency of protecting wild species, contributing to the conservation of biodiversity in Vietnam, which is derived from the living needs of the people themselves. . The application of science to change behavior especially emphasizes the role and responsibility of setting an example of the team of leaders, managers, people with position and prestige in society. In order to improve the effectiveness of communication to change behavior to protect wildlife, according to Dr. Phung Huu Phu, besides the role of media and forms of information such as the press, literature and art, propaganda. mouth, community activities, social networks, etc., the responsibility of setting an example of cadres and party members, especially those holding leadership and management positions, is of decisive significance. Therefore, in the coming time, concerned agencies should focus on changing their behavior from conquering to living together in order to shape the value of living together, loving and protecting nature.

The study estimates that many bird species in Australia, such as the rainbow parrot, number in the millions. Photo: Guardian. The world has about 50 billion individuals of nearly 10,000 bird species, according to a new study that uses public scientific observations to estimate bird populations. Research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), led by scientists at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), shows that there are six times as many bird species on the planet as possible. human times. There are four species of birds that researchers call the “billion-person club,” with an estimated population greater than 1 billion individuals. These are house sparrows, European starlings, ring-billed gulls and swallows, found in many parts of the world. The researchers estimated the population of 9,700 species, based on hundreds of millions of bird observations recorded by birdwatchers on eBird, one of a number of community science projects on diversity. The world’s largest biome. They combined records with professional scientific observations to develop an algorithm that estimated the population numbers of most species. The team of scientists found that there are relatively few individuals of common bird species, but a large number of rare species. “They can be rare for natural reasons, as they really only live on one island,” said Associate Professor Will Cornwell, a UNSW ecologist and one of the lead scientists on the study. island or the top of a mountain, or they may be rare due to human causes.” Over time, he said, he hopes the models can chart which species are in decline and where conservation efforts are needed. Many bird species in Australia number into the millions such as the rainbow parrot (19 million individuals), the yellow cockatoo (10 million individuals) and the laughing kingfisher (3.4 million individuals). Mr. Sean Dooley, BirdLife Australia’s public affairs manager, is a longtime bird watcher and a contributor to community science programmes. The paper shows the value that people’s observations can contribute to scientific knowledge, he said. “This is a great first step to trying to discover what we have. It will be important if we can continue to do this over time, as we are witnessing a massive loss of wildlife. Research can help us do what is needed to get close to quantifying what’s going on.” By combining bird-watching records and professional monitoring of birds that are the subject of rigorous academic research, scientists have tweaked some of the things that have not been done, said Associate Professor Cornwell. certainly through public science. The model was then applied to birds that have not been studied professionally, he said. The figure of 50 billion birds represents the model’s average estimate for the total number of bird species worldwide. “The really big breakthrough in this study is that we can take the scientific data and the public science data and then fill in the gap for birds that are not expertly studied by scientists,” said Mr. Cornwell. research industry”. There is still some uncertainty in the figures, said Mr. Cornwell, and the researchers plan to refine the model as more professional studies of more species become available. He also said that the study revealed gaps in information due to the importance of scientific attention to birds in developed regions compared to developing countries of the world, and the need to It is necessary to refine global population estimates for all species. According to him, this also shows the role of public science in those efforts. Scientists will conduct another survey in the next few years.

Image of floods in Central Vietnam in 2020, one of the natural losses of Vietnam. A global study commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and commissioned by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), shows that public interest in nature has increased markedly (16%). ) over the past five years and continues to increase during the Covid-19 pandemic. The figures are released ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Biodiversity (May 22), the date chosen to increase public understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. Expressing growing concern about nature People around the world, especially in emerging economies, are becoming more aware of the planet’s environmental crisis. This has impacted their behavior, especially as a wave of what WWF calls an “ecological awakening” is growing. Current trends also show that the behavior of individuals and consumers is affected by these concerns and they demand drastic action to address the loss of nature and biodiversity. The report “Ecological Awakening: Measuring Global Awareness, Participation and Action for Nature” shows that environmental activism is exploding in online media. Over the past four years, mentions of environmental issues on Twitter have increased by 65%, with the topic of nature and biodiversity increasing from 30 million to 50 million. Many influential individuals and entities such as spiritual leaders, politicians and media organizations, news and celebrities, have spoken out for nature, with social media posts. The festival reaches more than 1 billion audiences worldwide. The study also shows that consumers are increasing their interest in nature through Google searches related to this topic, especially in Asian and Latin American countries such as Indonesia (increased). 53%) and India (up 190%). Many consumers around the world are changing their behavior In addition, more and more people are realizing the loss of nature is a serious global problem. Specifically, 96% of people living in Latin America agree with this when surveyed (the region with the highest percentage). This shift from the community reflects a fact worth pondering, as people in developing regions are experiencing more devastating effects from the loss of nature than elsewhere. After an era of protest marches and petitions, now more and more consumers around the world are changing their behavior such as adjusting their buying habits, buying only what is right for them. with their values ​​and needs. The analysis shows a staggering 71% increase in search results for sustainable products since 2016, popular in high-income countries, such as the UK, US, Germany, Australia and Canada. However, this trend is not only found in these economies, but also appears and increases in emerging economies or developing countries such as Indonesia (24%) and Ecuador (120%). This pressure is forcing manufacturing corporations to respond with action, especially in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, fashion and food sectors. Since 2016, more than 159 million signatures for biodiversity-related campaigns have been collected, along with an increase in the magnitude and frequency of protests worldwide to demand requires decision-makers to take drastic action for the planet and future generations, in the face of growing nature conservation movements. Information about Southeast Asian countries in the report. Immediate action is needed to prevent damage to nature However, despite the tremendous rate of destruction of nature and the threat this devastation poses to the global economy and human health, nature is rarely a high-priority topic. global agendas. “Scientists and economists have understood. The public was well aware. And the solutions are also obvious. Both the community and society are supporting the process of transforming economic models and sustainable development in which the protection of nature is considered a moral obligation, in return for the life that the earth brings as well as the vital service this planet provides to our economy, welfare, health and security. This is truly an historic “ecological awakening” and an opportunity to rebalance man’s relationship with nature,” said Marco Lambertini, WWF International Director General. The loss of nature is increasing humanity’s vulnerability to pandemics, undermining efforts to tackle the climate crisis and threatening livelihoods. Leaders are expected to make key decisions later this year on climate and environmental issues. These decisions could represent an important opportunity to reverse biodiversity loss, ensure nature is restored this decade, and support climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals. According to this report, Vietnam, a country with a high level of biodiversity – joined the Climate Change Working Group of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2021. As a country As a member, Vietnam will participate in regional initiatives such as preventing ocean plastic waste, initiatives to tackle air pollution and transboundary water pollution.

Cu Lao Cham Marine Sanctuary in Quang Nam. Tourism potential from white-necked langurs The white-necked langur was discovered by local people in 2012 on the limestone mountain in Thach Hoa commune, Tuyen Hoa district, Quang Binh province. Since then, thanks to the strict protection of functional forces and the coordination of residential communities and voluntary protection groups, the white-necked langur herd has grown in number. In 2018, the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province planned a part of the forest to become a special-use forest to balance the needs of conservation and exploitation. According to the survey results of the Center for Indigenous Knowledge Research and Development (CIRD) in collaboration with the Provincial Forest Protection Department, there are 22 herds and 156 white-necked langurs in 3 main areas: Dong Hoa commune, Thach Hoa and Thuan Hoa belong to Tuyen Hoa district. If before, you needed binoculars to see the langurs, now, the langurs are increasingly bold, with our naked eyes we can also look, watch them feed, play in the trees or on the rocks. craggy, according to a representative of the CIRD Center. The appearance of creatures listed in the Red Book of Vietnam and the world in this area has attracted many photographers, scientists and tourists to come here, creating opportunities for the development of various types of eco-tourism. Recently, Chairman of Thach Hoa Commune People’s Committee said that the locality is orienting to develop community tourism and experience tourism in order to change industries and improve incomes for people. people. Although people are still mainly engaged in agriculture, do not have much investment capital, plus difficulties due to epidemics, the potential for community-based tourism development associated with biodiversity is a long-term problem, helping to solve the problem of sustainable livelihoods for residents. Volunteer groups to protect the white-necked langurs in villages and communes will be oriented to become tour guides, helping guide people to learn, research, take photos, admire the white-necked langurs… Along with At that time, visitors can also combine sightseeing and experience with other destinations and events such as Tran Tao weapons factory (Dong Hoa commune), the grave and church of Admiral Le Truc (Tien Hoa commune), the cave. Len Ha (Thanh Hoa commune), Cau Ca Tang (Lam Hoa commune), boat racing festival in Tuyen Hoa district… In order to promote tourism potential in a sustainable way, local authorities pay special attention to continuing to promote the core role of voluntary conservation groups and local people. Lessons from Cham Island Recently, in the program “Honoring organizations and individuals; replicating advanced examples with many achievements contributing to wildlife conservation in the period 2010 – 2020″ organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Selection Council also recognized the initiatives and solutions. community contributes to improving the effectiveness of efforts of all levels, sectors and the whole society in species conservation. A sustainable tourism model based on biodiversity can be mentioned as the Museum of Marine Life on Cu Lao Cham Island, Tan Hiep Island Commune, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province. The marine reserve displays hundreds of fish with many different shapes, along with many rare specimens of shrimp, crab, turtle, marine coral … Worth mentioning, at first, the fishermen here just wanted to save samples and images of sea creatures to teach their children and grandchildren how to fish so that they can both profit from the sea and preserve the seed source for later. Gradually, these accumulations have created a unique ecological destination for this place, attracting many tourists to explore, paving the way for sustainable tourism. Accompanied by other cultural features such as Hai Tang pagoda, Champa ancient well, four heritage trees and the temple of nest craft. In addition to the service of diving to see corals and enjoying specialties of bird’s nest water, another highlight is a specimen of sea turtles over a hundred years old with intact dimensions on display. This is also part of the message conveyed to tourists and indigenous people: After many years of tourism exploitation, sea turtles are rarely found along the island, but tend to move to live and lay eggs on islands. small island. According to a representative of Cu Lao Cham Marine Protected Area, for many years now, fishermen on the island have been trained as a model of community tourism, saying no to plastic bags and plastic waste, accompanied by tasks of biodiversity conservation. learn. However, tourism development cannot avoid harming nature, landscapes and creatures, which requires greater responsibility from management agencies, travel agencies and visitors. However, the most important thing is the awareness of preserving and preserving nature of the local people. As nature and living things develop, their livelihoods based on such natural services will grow accordingly. Only when they understand that can they become enthusiastic propagandists, proactively guiding visitors to comply.

Female scientist – Dr. Lu Thi Ngan (born 1983), working at the Department of Biology, Vietnam Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology is a female scientist of Thai ethnicity, born and raised in a highland district in western Nghe An . Since childhood, she has been associated with the farming life and nature. Maybe that’s why her love for forests and trees has existed for a long time. Dr. Lu Thi Ngan on a trip to find ferns in Pu Luong, Thanh Hoa Dr. Lu Thi Ngan “In the past, when I was a child, I ate sticky rice every day, so I was very healthy. In the early morning, I often followed my grandfather, my mother went to the forest. Everyone worked in the fields, and I sat next to the fields and waited until dark to return to the village. That day, I couldn’t speak Kinh fluently.” She added, fortunately when she was in high school, she was sent to study at the Central Ethnic Minority Boarding School located in Thai Nguyen. Her love for nature is infiltrated in her blood, so she is particularly interested in Biology and won the National Encouragement Prize for excellent students. Entering university, Dr. chose the Faculty of Biology, University of Natural Sciences, Vietnam National University, Hanoi and went to work at the Vietnam Museum of Nature upon graduation. Here, she decided to choose to study ferns, a small group of plants that are not of much interest. Dr. Lu Thi Ngan said that not only has no scent, no color, no flowers, fruits, and ferns, it is also a very difficult industry to study because the morphological characteristics change a lot, many features require a new magnifying glass and microscope observed, moreover, for this industry, there are very few researches in our country, so there is a lack of databases for reference. That’s not to mention, except for a few species of ferns that grow wild on the street that we often see, most of the unknown ferns grow in high mountainous areas, rugged limestone mountains. “But I still love ferns, because they have a fragile beauty with a hidden vitality,” she asserts. The “terrible” values Dr. Lu Thi Ngan said that although there is no fragrance, no color, no flowers or fruit, the fern brings values ​​that many people cannot imagine. Dr. Lu Thi Ngan on a field trip. Ferns are a group that plays a very important role in evolution and biodiversity because they are widely distributed and occupy many habitats. “This is the second largest group of vascular plants and one of the first terrestrial plants to appear, about 300-400 million years ago,” she said. In addition, ferns have many uses in everyday life. Few people know that ferns are a source of food containing a lot of nutrients. Some species of ferns such as bud, bubble, cow’s hoof… are valuable and nutritious food sources. The berries of some ferns can also be eaten to combat thirst. Many species of ferns can be used for ornamental or decorative purposes, and even the fibers of the fern can be exploited to make handicrafts. In particular, phytochemical studies on ferns have revealed that they contain many valuable substances that can be used to make medicine. On the market, there have been many medicinal products and functional foods derived from ferns such as sunscreen pills, hair growth shampoos, decoction forms to help increase resistance when infected with viruses, improve symptoms. dementia (Alzheimer). Not only the fern has “terrible” value, but the researches of Dr. Lu Thi Ngan about ferns is also very “terrible”. After more than 10 years of silent research, until now, Dr. Lu Thi Ngan has announced 5 new genera, 30 new fern species for science and 37 additional species for the flora of Vietnam. Her research results have contributed significantly to the worldwide community of fern scientists. At the same time, these results also help to enhance and confirm the biodiversity value of ferns in Vietnam. Every job has its own feelings There are consecutive articles published in domestic and foreign journals, including famous international journals, there are continuously announcements of new species discovery, but behind these are difficulties and difficulties. problems of scientists, especially female scientists. With Dr. Lu Thi Ngan every job has its own difficulties and hardships. Dr. Lu Thi Ngan said, up to now, she can’t remember how many field trips she has gone through, how many forests, and how many mountains she has climbed. But these trips are nothing compared to the time when she decided to go to Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences to be a PhD student. At that time, her life partner was Dr. Do Van Truong, who works at the Vietnam Museum of Nature, is working as a PhD student in Germany. And my daughter just turned 3 years old. It was like that for a few years as a family of three in three places. Recently, on his personal Facebook page, Dr. Lu Thi Ngan posted a photo of the three of them on her husband’s birthday with the caption, “This is the first time the whole family is together on a special occasion.” The line of confession is enough to understand the hardships of scientists. However, Dr. Lu Thi Ngan is very calm. For her, every job has its own difficulties and difficulties. The important thing is that I know how to overcome to do my job and love it. For her, doing science is not only a job but also a passion and certainly in the coming time, researches on Vietnamese ferns will continue to be published in international journals. Invite you to read and watch the video: Arresting a group that pretends to be a bank fraud to appropriate property. Source VOVTV.

Over the past 10 years, many conservation initiatives and solutions have contributed to effectively protecting the biodiversity common home. (Photo: Hung Vo / Vietnam +) After more than 6 months of launching, the program “Honoring organizations and individuals with many contributions to the conservation of wild species in the period 2010-2020” by Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment The launch is coming to the last stage. It is expected that the ceremony to honor individuals and organizations participating in the program will be held on May 21, 2021, in response to the Day Biodiversity international (May 22). Thousands of species are named According to the representative of Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (Vietnam Environment Administration, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), in the past decade, Vietnam has witnessed many changes in economic, social and conservation life. biodiversity is no exception. Although operating in silence, scientists and conservation organizations have contributed to creating a brilliant decade of biodiversity with a series of research, new species discovery and initiatives and solutions. effective conservation. Especially, right after launching the above honoring program in October 2020, the program has received many records from individuals and organizations working in the field of species conservation. Many animal and plant species have been studied and discovered for the first time for science and published in prestigious international journals. Among thousands of species of animals and plants recognized and recognized internationally, many species of insects, reptiles, amphibians … are classified as critically endangered, and should be prioritized for conservation; Many studies have found endemic species only in Vietnam. Some newly discovered species include scorpion Euscorpiopsis cavernicola (in Ba Be district, Bac Kan province) and scorpion Vietbocap thienduongensis (Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh province). In addition, precious tree species such as Moc Huong (Aristolochia), genus Arachniodes, … have also been studied on phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships for practical application. Through research, many valuable plant species in medicine and production are identified and have reasonable conservation plans. Many outstanding landmarks in conservation Along with species discovery research, the program honors organizations and individuals with many contributions to the work wildlife conservation the 2010-2020 period also recognizes many initiatives and solutions, contributing to improving the efficiency of efforts of all levels, sectors and the society in species conservation. The precious otter who was illegally confined and sold at the farm product disguised as Thanh Hoa, Long An province, was rescued by the competent forces after receiving a report from the reporter of VietnamPlus. (Photo: Hung Vo / Vietnam +) The first solution mentioned by the Department of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity is the successful breeding and conservation of white-crowned Lei Lamas – a rare and endemic bird of Vietnam. In addition, the pairing and spawning of the White-bellied Cao Sand Bird has also been successful, serving environmental education and conservation in the future. Besides breeding solutions for endangered species, other initiatives also focus on wildlife rescue. Among them, there are groups of volunteers who have rescued 100 sea turtles, of which 94 are still alive and have been returned to the sea; or process of rescuing bears, raising bears in semi-wild environments … In particular, the program received a story from someone who used to be a hunter but now leads a voluntary group to conserve white-nosed langurs in Quang Binh. Thereby, it contributes to preventing the impact of the quarrying program, protecting the habitat for langurs. As a result, in 2018, the People’s Committee of Quang Binh province has partially planned the forest into a special-use forest to balance conservation and exploitation needs. In addition, some units also made a mark with the initiative of using camera traps to investigate wild species in some key areas or the application of technologies in monitoring and re-release. wild animals and preserve the gifts given to Vietnam by the Creator. Assessing the significance of the program, professor-doctor of science Dang Huy Huynh, ASEAN Biodiversity Hero, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Nature and the Environment said that this is a conservation initiative. of great significance, helping to motivate and encourage the development of the scientific research movement on biodiversity. During the working process, the review board found that the submitted documents were in compliance with the rules, some documents were carefully prepared, showing the enthusiasm for the program. The dossiers are evaluated on the basis of selection criteria in the issued rules./.

Elephants in the Central Highlands. (Photo source: PV / Vietnam +) According to the General Department of Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), the subject of International Day of Biodiversity (22/5) in 2021 was chosen by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity “We are part of the solution.” The theme was chosen to continue the cross-cutting theme of 2020 “Our solutions are available in nature” as a reminder that biodiversity remains an important solution, an option for Sustainable Development . From nature-based solutions to climate issues, health, food security, drinking water and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity is the foundation on which we can rebuild for the better. Due to the complicated ongoing COVID-19 epidemic around the world, the 2021 International Day of Biodiversity will be commemorated through an online campaign. In a new study published in the Journal of Frontiers in Forest and Global Change (excluding Antarctica), scientists identified only 3% of the world’s land is still ecologically intact, with healthy primitive populations and undisturbed habitat. This number is only for the nature of “approximate estimate.” The study used range maps of 7,000 word species Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Most of the data is from mammals but also includes some birds, fish, plants, reptiles and amphibians. The world is in a biodiversity crisis, many wildlife populations, from lions to insects, are plunging in numbers, mainly due to habitat loss. Some scientists believe that the 6th mass extinction on Earth is beginning and will have serious consequences for food, clean water and air. Vietnam is one of the most important and biodiversity countries in the world, both in terms of marine and terrestrial ecosystems (especially forest and mangrove ecosystems). According to the Vietnam UNESCO Office, 238 priority ecological zones have been recognized around the world, of which 6 are located in Vietnam. Several nature reserves in Vietnam are recognized by UNESCO for their unique universal natural value, including 3 natural heritages, two global geopark, 9 biosphere reserves and two Wetlands are located in two world biosphere reserves. However, Vietnam’s conservation efforts are facing various difficulties and challenges such as: biodiversity degradation trends have become more important due to deforestation and illegal logging. legal, overexploitation, economic growth and population pressure, have enormous impacts on the key services these ecosystems provide. According to the Department Nature conservation and biodiversity (Vietnam Environment Administration), nature-based solutions is a term that can be used to describe alternative and non-traditional approaches to environmental problems such as flooding, water scarcity or soil erosion, by exploiting natural capital. Can Gio mangrove forest. (Photo: Manh Linh / VNA) Solutions could include restoring and conserving coral reefs and mangrove belts to increase resilience to coastal flooding and sea level rise, serving as the first line of defense for dissipation. energy waves and vegetation to reduce the risk of landslides and create green belts to help replenish groundwater in areas facing water scarcity. In response to the International Day of Biodiversity on May 22, 2021, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will honor organizations and individuals who have made many contributions to wildlife conservation in the 2010-2020 period. According to the General Department of Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), the Selection Council is composed of managers from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and other Leading scientists in the field of species conservation such as Professor, Doctor of Science Dang Huy Huynh – Biodiversity Hero of ASEAN. The dossiers to participate in the program honoring organizations and individuals with many contributions to the conservation of wild species are evaluated on the basis of the selected selection criteria. Each profile is consulted by all experts in the council, ensuring transparency and fairness. According to the Selection Council, the discovery of new species, initiatives and solutions for biodiversity conservation is of an important nature. Documents participating in this program show that there are thousands of named wild flora and fauna species, many of which are endemic to Vietnam. Many initiatives and solutions contribute to improving the efficiency of efforts of all levels, sectors and the society in species conservation. Initiatives on reproduction, breeding and successful conservation of rare species, care solutions, propaganda and especially initiatives from volunteer groups to protect species life and inspire those who has been and wants to contribute to this field. Scientists believe that the first time the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has an initiative to organize a program to encourage and encourage the development of the scientific research movement on biodiversity is a meaningful activity taking place. In the context of increasing climate change, the rate of biodiversity degradation of our country and the world tends to increase. It is expected that the Ceremony to honor individuals and organizations participating in the program will be held on May 21, 2021./.

Being passionate about plants and sticking to plant research, especially flowering plants, TS. Do Van Truong , Vietnam Museum of Nature, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, famous scientist for many discoveries for new species, dedicates his youth to focus on research in this field. TS. Do Van Truong on a field trip. Along with the professional work such as biodiversity research, plant resources … an important part of the TS’s indispensable work. Do Van Truong and colleagues to find and identify new species for science. And each new finding is published is a special story with lots of sweat and tears. TS. Do Van Truong recalled that in 2017, when he was on a field research trip in Kom Tum, he was on his way back to Nha Trang and happened to be surfing on Facebook and saw a young friend posting a picture of a tree wildly. See photo, TS. Do Van Truong saw that this was a very strange tree, never seen before. Immediately exceed 200 km to enter Binh Dinh area and approach strange trees. Arrived, TS. Do Van Truong received guidance from a local resident and confirmed that it only took half a day to both go and return. So at 10:00 a.m. the group set off with their inventory of a few loaves of bread for a makeshift lunch in the woods. As expected, about 2 hours later, we have reached the place where there are strange trees. The team was very happy and spent an hour observing, describing, recording, and collecting samples of strange plants to study. Due to the fact that indigenous people have a clear understanding of the terrain in the area, the group decided that when they returned, they would not return to the old road but approach another forest area to find a trail back to the village. However, the more you get lost. 5:00 pm, darkness collapses, only 2 small biscuits left, the phone has no waves, cold weather and small rain. The group decided to stop and approach the nearest mountain to hope for phone waves, because according to many years of experience in the jungle, TS. The more you know, the more you get lost and lose your energy. Hunger, cold, and even panic occasionally rekindled. 5am ​​the next morning, TS. Do Van Truong and his colleagues decided to go back to the old way. The group went continuously for 5 hours to reach a large stream flowing back to the village and met two communal militiamen who were on a mission to “find stray scientists”. As it turned out, during the night, many of the people in the village were unable to sleep because of their anxiety. The police, the military, even professional hunters were mobilized to find you. “It was a memorable trip in life. Hungry, thirsty, arriving in tattered clothes. Luckily, this strange tree was later researched and identified as genus (Michaelmoelleria F.Wen, YGWei & TVDo, gen. Nov.) And plant species (Michaelmoelleria vietnamensis F.Wen, ZBXin & TVDo, sp. nov.) new to world science ”Dr. Do Van Truong said Michaelmoelleria vietnamensis F.Wen, ZBXin & TVDo, sp. nov. The feeling of a winner TS. Do Van Truong added a memory, that is in 2018, during a trip to investigate and survey the flora of Vu Quang National Park (Ha Tinh), on the way back, colleagues discovered a tall vines. , beautiful flowers immediately take it and send it to you. At this time, TS. Do Van Truong is working in China, when he received the photo, he had a premonition that this was a very strange plant in his group. TS. Do Van Truong on a field trip When he returned home, he decided to find this vine. By the end of 2020, TS. Do Van cooperated with Vu Quang National Park to conduct a field trip to an area where strange plants were recorded before. This is a dangerous terrain and very far from the ranger station, so the group decided to sleep in the forest with determination to “hunt” with strange trees. At 6 am, the group will start their journey from the ranger station until 4pm to reach the desired area. However, within a radius of 1 km where colleagues used to take pictures, PhD. The red-eyed field still cannot see vines or regenerated seedlings of strange plants. TS. Truong commented that it is possible that individuals of strange plants have died due to the strong impact of previous droughts. At 5:30 it was dark, the group decided to camp, rest and drink wine for the sad: “Quiet space, darkness covered, and depressed mood. That feeling, I still remember until now ”, TS. Do Van Truong recalls. 7:30 the next morning, TS. Do Van Truong decided to search again, in the hope that the tree has flowers, that is to bear fruit, and is a source of seeds for regenerating seedlings. This is an area where the forest is not affected, definitely the trees are just around somewhere. He went back and forth many times, digging through the forest ropes, he finally found, it was a tree trunk lying hidden in a large cluster of trees. “At that time, she was sweaty and tired. But the feeling of victory is great ”. Up to now, on the basis of the results of analysis and research, PhD. The school has confirmed that this is a new plant species for world science, named: Aristolochia vuquangensis TVDo, sp.nov. Aristolochia vuquangensis TVDo, sp.nov. Fruit for efforts Hard, even dangerous, however, TS. Do Van Truong has received “sweet fruits”. In the period 2010-2020, PhD. Do Van Truong and colleagues have discovered and described 1 genus and 28 new species of higher plants for world science, of which 1 genus and 22 species were discovered and described in Vietnam. Also in the period from 2010-2020, PhD. Do Van Truong and colleagues have published a total of 26 scientific works describing new plant species in international journals. In which, 23 works were published in prestigious international magazines. According to TS. Do Van Truong, research to discover and describe new species for science, especially newly discovered species in Vietnam is of great significance. The first is to highlight the role and importance of biodiversity in Vietnam, which is a solid scientific basis for classification for conservation and application research. learning, probiotics …). In addition, scientists initially researched, propagated and successfully conserved a number of new species. This is an important basis to conduct research activities to develop precious plant genetic resources in Vietnam for the needs of use (medicinal herbs, ornamental plants, food for insects …), making an important contribution to the process. process of conservation and sustainable development of wild plant species. There are many concerns Being enthusiastic and pursuing plant research for many years, PhD. Do Van Truong said that he himself still has a lot of concerns. “Vietnam is a country with high biodiversity, but we do not have an in-depth research program on Vietnam’s flora. This is very unfortunate. We hope that there will be a unit with sufficient expertise and international relations to conduct a methodical and extensive research on the flora of Vietnam ”, PhD. Do Van Truong confided. One more concern of TS. Do Van Truong, that is attracting young people to participate in plant research. Part of the reason is that basic research is always a “silent” industry that has not been given adequate attention and investment. Moreover, the difficult life makes many young people who graduated from school are not eager to do research but turn to another direction. “If this situation continues, not knowing after 10-20 years, who will we marry to continue our work”. Invite readers to watch the video: Urgently clarify the cause of the son-in-law shooting, the wife’s parents died and then committed suicide. Source ANTV.

Hydropower dams can negatively impact the environment. More harm than good? Bach Hac Than Hydropower Plant officially stored water when the second bottom outlet closed on April 6. This means that the world’s second largest hydroelectric project has taken an important step towards its power generation goal on July 1. With the discharge door closed, the reservoir water level begins to rise and will reach 775 meters by mid-June. As a result, generation conditions are met. From August to September, the water in the lake will be stored up to 800 meters and then 825 meters in June 2022. The total storage capacity of the Bach Hac Than dam will be 20.627 billion cubic meters, accounting for 91% of the Kim Sa river basin. This is an important part of the Yangtze River flood control system, which has a capacity of 7.5 billion cubic meters. The total installed capacity of this second-ranked power plant in the world is 16 million KW. The capacity of a world-leading unit is 1 million kilowatts. New electricity will help China achieve its carbon neutralization goal. The Bach Hac Than Hydropower Station is an important part of the flood control system in the Yangtze River basin. At the same time, Bach Hac Than is a landmark project in the development of the global hydropower industry. However, while some people give information about clean energy of hydroelectricity, many argue that it can cause immeasurable damage to biodiversity, soil erosion, loss of archaeological and cultural sites. Even more than a million people will have to be relocated. Although the government has yet to reveal a detailed approach to meet the target of achieving carbon neutralization by 2060, hydropower has been featured in the 5-year plan 2021 – 2025 as well as vision 2035. Both were approved by China’s top legislature in March. In those plans, the government stated its intention to “step up the construction of hydroelectric facilities in southwestern China”. At the same time, promote wind energy and solar energy. “The dams will be a solid support to China’s energy industry and reduce carbon emissions. The construction of hydropower plants can bring benefits to irrigation, shipping and power generation, with great socio-economic value, ”said Professor Lu Qiang of Tsinghua University. Lin Boqiang, head of the Xiamen University’s China Energy Policy Research Institute, said the country is set to expand hydroelectric capacity. Because, water is the cheapest clean energy that can be used stably. “The dam construction is still controversial in China because of environmental concerns. However, the objection is no longer as strong as before, because the need to achieve carbon neutralization is increasingly urgent, ”said Mr. Lin. China’s dam construction activity began in the 1950s and has accelerated over the past two decades. At the end of 2018, Chinese hydroelectricity had a capacity of 352GW, accounting for 28% of the total global capacity and more than three times that of any other country. Heavy impact The Bai Hac Than Dam is worth 170 billion yuan ($ 26 billion) on the Jinsha River (Yangtze), in Sichuan province. The dam has made many people admire for the speed of its construction. China only took four years to build, despite the rugged terrain and far away, with the help of artificial intelligence technology. The Bai Hac Than emergency construction reflects the acceleration in China’s plan to expand hydroelectric capacity as a source of renewable energy. By the time Bach Hac Than reaches full capacity by the end of next year, China will be a country with five out of the 10 largest hydroelectric plants in the world. That pace of development has raised concerns about the impact of hydropower dams. China Green Development and Biodiversity Conservation said it is closely monitoring new dam construction projects. “It has been shown that dam construction harms the ecosystem and affects the habitat of wildlife,” said Wang Jing, a spokesman for the organization. We are concerned that some places will increase the development of hydropower projects to serve the government’s goal of carbon neutral ”. According to Fan Xiao, geologist and chief engineer of the Sichuan Department of Geology and Minerals, dams have a negative impact on the local ecological environment. Especially for aquatic animal biodiversity. They slow down the water flow rate and reduce the volume and purity of the water, Fan said. From there, it destroys the habitats of aquatic animals and hinders fish migration. Chinese scientists in 2019 announced the extinction of paddle fish. It is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. They are also known as Chinese swordfish, with a length of 7 meters. This fish is believed to have gone extinct from 2005 – 2010. The construction of the Cat Chau Ba dam on the Yangtze River since the 1970s has been a major contributor to this species’ decline, researchers found, by preventing fish from reaching their only breeding ground. upstream. According to the scientists, the river system is in trouble containing more than 4,000 aquatic species. However, dam construction, overfishing, water traffic and pollution have caused a lot of damage, with fish stocks declining and biodiversity rapidly declining. Mr. Fan said that building more hydroelectric plants is not the best way to reduce carbon emissions. “Water is a kind of clean energy, but we cannot ignore the huge carbon emissions generated by dam construction, excavation and migration,” warns the expert.

A new species of pumpkin toad has been discovered in Brazil. Researchers have uncovered a new species of pumpkin toad that is orange in color, fluorescence glow in the dark and is as small as 1 cm in size in Brazil’s Atlantic forest. This amphibian, Brachycephalus rotenbergae, is a relative of at least 36 species of pumpkin toad, named after the pumpkin popular for Halloween. Like the venom-releasing frog, the pumpkin toad’s vibrant color signals predators that their skin carries a toxin that can be lethal. This new species of pumpkin toad was recently described in the journal Plos One . They were found in extensive research efforts across Brazil to find new pumpkin toads. The identification of the organisms is crucial to the country’s biodiversity conservation, especially in areas with as many species as the Atlantic forest, where 93% of its area is lost, experts say. Initial cover due to deforestation and agricultural development. A small pumpkin toad crawls past the bright orange mushroom, which is a common feature of their habitat. Brazil has the highest number of amphibian species in the world, at least one thousand species. But amphibians worldwide are among the most vulnerable groups of vertebrates, especially when it comes to climate change. Lead researcher Professor Ivan Sergio Nunes Silva, scientist at São Paulo State University, said: “As a scientist, the happiest moment is when you see something new and you are the only one. best know. But unfortunately, today, we are losing undetermined species faster than the rate at which new species are described. Interesting story about new toads Images of the newly discovered pumpkin toad. Photo: Plos One. Professor Nunes and his team found the pumpkin toad B. rotenbergae through 76 field surveys between 2018 and 2019 in the Mantiqueira Mountains 2,132 meters above sea level. They spent hours wandering the cliffs and streams flowing through the forest. Most pumpkin toad species are quite similar. They are particularly tiny frogs, among the smallest in the world with a length of just over a centimeter and often have bright, tangerine skin that secretes a powerful nerve agent. Back in the lab, the team took DNA samples from 71 toads and compared them with samples of known pumpkin toads. They also analyze their physical characteristics, bone structure, behavior and record their mating calls to determine that this is a new species. The new pumpkin toad, for example, is smaller than other known toads, with a smaller snout. Other unusual features include black, matte patterns on the skin and a preference for living at higher altitudes in the Atlantic forest. The creatures cannot hear the sound of their calls because their ears are not yet developed, Nunes said. “Their communication is basically visual, because these toads can communicate by opening their mouths,” he added. In particular, it is a mystery that B. rotenbergae has bone fragments on its skull and back that fluoresce and can glow through the skin under ultraviolet light, a wavelength that they can see, But humans are not. Only two other pumpkin toad species are known to emit fluorescence, Nunes added. He doesn’t know what fluorescent bones are used for, but they might play a role in communication. This species has patches of bones on its skull and back that glow green through the skin under UV rays. Photo: Plos One. There is much more work to be done Professor Michel Varajao Garey, of the Latin American Institute of Natural Sciences and Life (ILACVN), said Professor Nunes and colleagues’ approach is comprehensive. Such a thorough approach could “reveal unknown diversity” and possibly reclassify some mislabeled species. In fact, up until this study, the authors say, B. rotenbergae was misclassified as B. ephippium because it looked so similar. The number of new species is unknown, but Nunes and his colleagues hope to conduct more surveys to find out where it lives, as well as look for more pumpkin toad species. Most of the rest of the Atlantic forest are protected in nature reserves, but these areas are still threatened by deforestation, climate change, and land use change. Although deforestation rates are declining in Brazil, more than 28,000 acres of forest land were cleared in 2018. Professor Nunes hopes the discovery will inspire governments and organizations to better take care of their resources, including closely monitoring endangered species. “Nature is only stable if it’s complex enough,” says Professor Nunes. This shows that biodiversity is paramount for a country as large as Brazil. “

Scientists’ discoveries at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and University of Florida (UF) have shown that marine biodiversity studies can enhance biomedical research. The naming of the compound Gatorbulin-1 (GB1) found in blue algae is a tribute to UF researchers and global partners who lit the torch for the discovery and traits of algae. lam. From self-defense to drugs Cyanobacteria are single-celled terrestrial and aquatic organisms around the world. They can use chemicals to defend themselves against predators. These chemicals also play a role in helping the cyanobacteria communicate. “ We studied a series of compounds called Quorum’s emotional inhibitors that affect the chemical signals that cyanobacteria have, ” said Dr. Valerie Paul, a chemical ecologist at Smithsonian Marine Station. used to communicate. The Quorum emotion is a name for the way bacteria communicate using chemical signals. The scientists examined the cyanobacteria’s communication and defense compounds to test for biomedical properties. Often they realize the compound’s medical potential before understanding why cyanobacteria take it. In a new study, GB1 was shown to have significant anticancer activity with the potential for a new drug formulation. But scientists are not quite sure how cyanobacteria use it. TS. Nature has optimized these compounds, which are created for a certain purpose, in the case of blue-green algae, said Paul, as self-defense. Chemical structure of Gatorbulin-1 (GB1) molecule. From the sea to the lab The blue-green algae targeted, Lyngbya confervoides, was discovered more than a decade before Dr. Paul started collecting this species. She quickly realized that the algae produced many different compounds, so she sent the samples to her collaborator Professor Hendrik Luesch for further study. But finding a new compound like GB1 that has the potential to make a new drug is a long process (not including the time it takes to add and test it to convert the compound into a safe, functional drug). The first stage of the procedure is to isolate and demonstrate that the purified compound can selectively kill cancer cells. Spurred by this discovery, Prof. Hendrik’s team was trying to find a way to synthesize the substance in the laboratory. A reliable way to produce GB1 is the first important thing to do in-depth research. “We like to stay in place to collect more cyanobacteria to isolate enough materials for advanced research,” Dr. Hendrik said. As organic chemists, we are able to replicate these natural molecules in larger quantities in the laboratory without having to depend on cyanobacteria. GB1 has been added to additional stages for the synthesis process. Scientists have discovered that GB1 targets a protein in cells called Tubulin – the same protein cells require during cell division and uses it to build ” internal scaffolding ”. While there are many chemotherapy drugs that target Tubulin, Prof. Hendrik and colleagues assert that GB1 is more special because it interacts with Tubulin in new ways. Now researchers are eager to see GB1 as effective in the real world as well as its potential to make anti-cancer drugs. The cyanobacteria that produced Gatorbulin-1 (GBI) was recognized as the algae Lyngbya confervoides. Healing ability of biochemistry Organic chemists often turn to nature to study drug formulation. For example, compounds in terrestrial life mechanisms such as plants and fungi led to the creation of important drugs such as penicillin that is now a staple of modern medicine. In the ocean, about three-quarters of the earth’s surface has yet to be touched by humans. “It’s really a chemical war in the ocean,” said Professor Hendrik. The more battles and communications like that will help us humans understand more about the active compounds that can apply to mankind. ” And Dr. Paul said: “From a chemical ecologist’s point of view, this biodiversity is equivalent to chemical diversity. We can find everything in the ocean we never dreamed of. ” Nguyen Thanh Hai ( (According to smithsonianmag) )

Pu Mat National Park (Nghe An) currently has a natural forest area of ​​194,000ha, of which the core area has an area of ​​94,000ha and the buffer zone of 100,000ha. Pu Mat Peak is 1,841m high, covered with white clouds all year round. According to data from researchers, Pu Mat is one of the major biological reserves in Vietnam with more than 2,400 species of plants, 37 of which are in the Vietnam Red Book and 20 species in the World Red Book. . Thousand years old oil plant – Vietnamese heritage tree in the core zone of Pu Mat National Park It is a special-use forest representing the typical tropical and sub-tropical forest ecosystem on earthy mountains; Forest coverage accounts for over 98%, of which primary forest not yet affected is nearly 40%. In which, there are many endangered and rare species of national and international conservation value. In particular, in the 20th century, scientists recorded 4 new species of large mammals for science in Vietnam, all four species were present in this National Park. Specifically, Sao La (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis scientific name), Large Maw (Muntiacus vuquangensis), Truong Son Mangrove (Muntiacus truongsonensis), Striped Rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi). Therefore, Pu Mat National Park plays a very important role in the biodiversity conservation strategy of Vietnam, as well as the world. However, the current forest resources of the National Park have been and are in danger of being degraded by illegal exploitation of forest resources. In particular, the forest fauna is being reduced by hunting and trapping activities of local people. This is considered the most serious threat to the biodiversity resources of Pu Mat National Park. Therefore, for many years, the strengthening of the protection and conservation has always been focused on and tightened by the staff of this national park as well as the authorities at all levels and organizations. The forest is strictly protected According to the Pu Cool National Forest Management Board, which protects wildlife in two special protection areas, two forest protection groups of Pu Mat National Park were established with 12 members. Co Penalty group has 6 members on duty to patrol and protect Khe Bong special protected area. Khe Choang group has 6 members who patrol and protect Khe Choang special protected area. Each member of forest protection groups organizes patrols for 15 days / month, operating from the beginning of 2018 to the present. Rescue pangolins at the Pu Mat National Park Rescue Center After nearly 3 years of operation, the impact of people on the 2 special protected areas has decreased significantly, by 2020 only one impact is left by the people. Maybe they go to get medicinal plants or go hunting animals. This shows that, 2 special protected areas have been well protected, ensuring a high safety habitat for the animals here. In addition, SVW also provides funding for the recruitment garden, contracts a specialized forest protection force and establishes an Anti Poaching team (anti-poaching team) to coordinate with Pu Mat forest rangers to patrol and protect the forest. , removing animal traps, handling violations of forest law. Each anti-poaching team member will coordinate with the National Park Forest Protection patrol and protect the forest at least 15 days / month. After a short time, 85 people participated in forest patrol for 593 days and nearly 6,000km on foot to patrol, handle, expel more than 200 people out of the forest or handle violations of the forest law; destroyed 539 tents; 4,655 animal traps removed; rescue treatment or re-release 18 living animals, the number of dead animals is 93, the number of dead animals is not equal to 23kg; confiscated and handled 11 fish jacks. With a fierce protection work, up to now, logging for commercial purposes has been prevented. Trap setting for wild animals has been reduced compared to the past. In particular, the two special protected areas with the concentrated distribution of animals have been strictly protected, becoming non-hunting zones, ensuring a high safe living environment for animals. In particular, the application of Smart software to patrol the forest for all forest rangers and forest protection forces of the park. The results of patrolling according to the plan, reporting clear forest patrol results, showing comparative information … to serve as the basis for building patrol plans and assessing the effectiveness of forest protection in areas of Pu Mat National Park. In particular, support for effective inspection and supervision of forest patrol and protection. Coordinate forest patrol in the core zone of Pu Mat National Park Mr. Tran Xuan Cuong – Director of Pu Mat National Park – said: “In the past 3 years, in the area of ​​Pu Mat National Park, there has been no situation of logging for commercial purposes; the situation of fishing, which destroys aquatic resources, is basically controlled; Put an end to all hotspots of forest products exploitation and wildlife hunting. The garden management board also does a good job of collaborating in conservation across borders with Laos in biodiversity conservation ”. Also according to Mr. Cuong, recently, Nghe An Provincial People’s Committee has asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to consider and nominate Pu Mat National Park to be ASEAN Heritage Park (AHP). Through consideration, Pu Mat National Park has the potential and conditions to become AHP. On October 20, 2020, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment sent a document to the People’s Committee of Nghe An province to nominate the title of ASEAN Heritage Park for Pu Mat National Park. Accordingly, the Ministry agrees on the policy of building a profile and nominating AHP title for Pu Mat National Park, Nghe An province. In the coming time, the park management board will continue to focus on researching and re-planning functional sub-zones in accordance with reality to protect and develop forest ecosystems, conserve wildlife species, and develop to develop livelihoods for ethnic minorities living in the core and buffer zones. Well implementing regulations on coordination in forest management and protection; enhancing cooperation in biological conservation … In addition, the garden management board will also have a plan to expand the wildlife rescue center, implementing a program of reproduction and conservation of rare and precious animals. Priority for protection in the national conservation program. Located on the eastern slope of Truong Son range, Pu Mat National Park stretches over 3 mountainous districts of Con Cuong, Anh Son and Tuong Duong of Nghe An province. Pu Mat in the Thai language means steep slopes. Pu Mat National Park was established in 1995 and recognized by the United Nations Educational Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2007. According to a survey by the Forest Inventory and Planning Institute in 1992, Pu Mat National Park has 1,297 species of higher plants, 64 species of mammals, 137 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians.

Forest conservation training in Spain. Photo GEUTREE The shrinking forest area seriously threatens the living environment, when the “green lung” is being destroyed every day. The destruction of nearly 70% of the world’s primary tropical forests has exacerbated climate change and biodiversity loss. Primeval rainforests, which are considered “natural buffers” to prevent climate change, are rapidly disappearing because of devastating human activities. According to the Rainforest Foundation Norway nonprofit, between 2002 and 2019, total forest loss was estimated to be greater than that of France. While another study by the World Resources Institute, on average, every six seconds, the area of ​​forest the equivalent of a football field disappears. The Secretary General of the United Nations, Australia, stressed that every year, the world loses 4.7 million hectares of forests, larger than the area of ​​Denmark. The International Organization for the Conservation of Nature (WWF) data shows that only 29 “hotspots” in South America, Africa and Southeast Asia account for 50% of the total deforestation area. bridge. Unsustainable agriculture is one of the main reasons for the disappearance of green forests. A huge area of ​​forest continues to be destroyed every year, mainly for large-scale agriculture. The biodiversity areas have been cleared for farming and livestock. In addition to the degradation of 30% of the forest, logging and land conversion, mainly for agriculture, have wiped out up to 34% of the world’s primary rainforests, leaving the rest of the forest standing. before the danger of further destruction in the future. Brazil’s Ammon forest has been a region of great pressure in the past decades as agricultural development has exploded. According to research by the Ammonia Geographical Reference Social Information Network (RAISG), about 8% of the world’s largest rainforest was destroyed between 2000 and 2018. Annual deforestation tripled between 2015 and 2018. With about 60% of Ammonia forest located in Brazil, the National Institute of Space Research Brazil (INPE The number of wildfires in this South American country increased by 12.7% in 2020, the highest level in the past decade. After Amonon in South America, the East-South Asian islands, largely in Indonesia, ranked second in deforestation since 2002, with most of the area The forest was cut down for palm oil plantations. Central Africa ranks third, with much of the destruction concentrated around the Congo River basin, due to logging and livestock. Scientists have warned about the implications of deforestation on the habitats of wild fauna and flora. Forests cover one third of the Earth’s land area and are home to 80% of all terrestrial wildlife and fauna. Meanwhile, about 90% of the world’s poorest depend on forest resources. The Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) affirmed that forests play an important environmental role and provide essential services to millions of people. Many communities rely on forests for their livelihoods, as well as to ensure vast food security, climate regulation and stabilize the global economy. The dense tropical vegetation acts as the largest carbon reservoir, so the lost forest area is the main factor causing the increase in greenhouse gas emissions, causing the global temperature to heat up. The green forest has called out “cry for help” in the face of being destroyed by human activities. The United Nations and natural environment protection agencies call on the world to have a plan to help harmonize forest protection and wildlife habitat conservation with socio-economic benefits for people. people. Promoting human-appropriate wildlife and forest management models and measures, conservation of forest ecosystems and biodiversity is necessary and urgent.

According to the IPBES report in 2019, about 75% of the land area and 66% of the sea area on Earth has been “significantly changed” by humans. Livestock and farming are using more than 33% of the land and 75% of the fresh water. Agricultural activities are one of the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions, due to the use of fertilizers and deforestation for aquaculture. Plants and animals are also threatened by overharvesting and hunting; Climate Change; pollution and the spread of alien species. About a million species of plants and animals are facing extinction. Without strong measures, endemic landscapes and ecosystems on Earth will soon disappear forever Avenue of the baobab (Madagascar) Bao Bap Boulevard is the name of a group of old trees located along the dirt road connecting Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina, in the Menabe region in western Madagascar. Its magnificent scenery attracts visitors from all over the world, making it one of the most popular in the region. Faced with climate change and human farming activities, the fate of these baobab trees is increasingly threatened. At present, many efforts to preserve this place have been made, in the hope of preserving this fairy-tale avenue. Image: Economic Times. Yew Lake Caddo (Texas / Louisiana, USA) The 25,400-hectare Caddo Lake-Swamp, located on the border between Texas and Louisiana, is famous for its submerged conifer forest. Hundred-year old moss-covered larch trees lie on the water’s surface, setting the scene in Tolkien’s novels. Threatened by global warming and alien organisms, the growth rate of yew here has decreased rapidly. This is a protected wetland on an international level. Currently, visitors can explore this place by kayak. Image: Itookapic. Amazon Forest (South America) The Amazon forest stretches across many South American countries and is the largest tropical rainforest in the world, famous for its biodiversity. There are thousands of rivers here, creating an ecological environment for the rich flora and fauna, as well as providing a source of life for people. However, the increasing rate of deforestation and the global climate change have caused the forest area to shrink rapidly. With this momentum, according to a study published in Nature Communications, Amazon forests could turn into deserts within 50 years after their ecosystems reach the point of collapse. Image: Scoop. Dead Sea (Israel and Jordan) As the lowest inland area of ​​sea level, Dead Sea water has an average salinity of up to 35%, 10 times higher than normal seawater, making people float on the water and contain many minerals therapy. Experts believe that this water area will completely disappear in the next 50 years. Over the past four decades, the area of ​​the Dead Sea has shrunk by one third, and the water level has receded more than 24 meters, averaging 30 centimeters per year. The main reason is that the Jordan River – the main water source of the Dead Sea – is increasingly used by Jordan, Syria and Israel for domestic and agricultural purposes. This area is under additional pressure from cosmetic factories exploiting raw materials. Image: Walk My World. Great Barrier Reef (Australia) Australia’s huge coral ecosystem is about the size of Japan, with more than 2,900 separate coral reefs and 900 islands spread across an area of ​​344,400 square kilometers. However, scientists believe that by 2030, this place will disappear. The Australian Foundation says warming seawater, combined with water with a higher acidity, can kill 97% of the corals in the Great Barrier. Image: CNTraveler. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) Located 1,000km inland, this is home to many endemic plant and animal species. Charles Darwin arrived here in 1835. Observations of species at the Galápagos inspired his later theory of evolution. However, the ecosystem here is threatened by overfishing as well as the warming of the sea water. Coral reefs are dying, and native animals are threatened by tourism. Image: Lonely Planet. Congo Basin (Africa) The Congo Basin spans the territory of 6 African countries, and is the second largest rainforest in the world, only after the Amazon. This place has about 10,000 species of tropical plants, 30% of which are endemic, along with many rare wild animals such as wild elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees … This is also inhabited by humans. for more than 50,000 years, it has provided food, water and shelter to more than 80 million people. Every year, two million hectares of forests in the Congo basin are destroyed, due to illegal logging, cultivation, mining, war … If conservation efforts are not accelerated, Scientists estimate that by 2040, about two-thirds of the forest will disappear. Image: Profor. Alaska Territory (Alaska, USA) The vast ice that covers the western and northern coasts of Alaska are the coldest biomes in the world. However, in recent years, the northern part of Alaska has seen a dramatic rise in temperature – faster than the global average, which has resulted in the melting of permafrost. Catastrophic fires also occurred, making the environment more fragile. The increasing rate of coastal erosion also has a direct effect on polar bears and their prey. Patagonian ice area (Argentina) As the largest subarctic ice in the southern hemisphere, the Patagonian ice sheet consists of three main zones: North, South and Cordillera Darwin. In total, they hold up to 5,500 gigatons of ice, enough to raise global sea levels 15 millimeters if all they melted. Its beautiful scenery has long been a world-famous tourist destination, for nature enthusiasts. However, the glaciers of Patagonia are thinning at an average rate of 1.8 m / year due to climate change and human impacts. Only three of them have expanded in recent years, but the rest – 90% – is shrinking. Image: Pexels.

Towards the end of this century, organisms living on the ocean floor faced increasing dangers from ocean warming. (Photo: thiennhien.net) According to climate warming projections, the number of species has decreased in the equator and increased in the subtropics since the 1950s. This is the general state of all 48,661 species and they are divided into sub-species. seabed (benthic) and in open water (floating fish area), fish, molluscs and crustaceans. Results from a study led by the University of Auckland (New Zealand) show that open water marine species in the Northern Hemisphere tend to move more towards the North Pole than benthic species. Meanwhile, species in the southern hemisphere do not have a similar wave of movement. The reason is that the warming ocean in the Northern Hemisphere is more pronounced than the Southern Hemisphere. In the past, the tropics were always considered to be stable and have an ideal temperature for reproduction because so many species of organisms appear there. Now the defined tropics are not so stable and are becoming too hot for many species. This study is the result of doctoral work by lead author Chhaya Chaudhary at the University of Auckland and builds on a series of studies in a joint research group that delineates documents and data on taxonomy groups. Specifically, these include crustaceans, fish and worms. The data is taken from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), a free accessible online world database established by Professor Mark Costello of the University as part of the marine biology investigation, a global marine exploration program from 2000 to 2010. Recorded information about the time and location of species was compiled into latitude ranges and a statistical model was used. Use to calculate variables in sampling. Last year, Professor Costello co-authored a study that found that although marine biodiversity escalated and peaked at the equator during the last ice age 20,000 years ago, it was pulled flat before the status quo. global warming in the industrial era. This study uses fossil records of marine plankton buried in deep-sea sediments to track changes in species diversity over thousands of years. The latest research on a decade scale shows that this flat drag has continued over the past century, and that the number of species is now decreasing at the equator. This research, and other work underway, shows that the number of marine species declines when the average annual seawater temperature is above 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (varies with different species. ). As one of the lead authors of the current International Commission on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report, Professor Costello argues that these findings are of great significance. “Our work shows that man-made climate change affects marine biodiversity on a global scale across all species. Climate change is already here for us and is happening at an ever-increasing rate. We can predict general trends in species diversity, but due to the complexity of ecological interactions, it is currently unclear how rich marine life and fisheries will be. how to change according to climate change ”, said Professor Costello. According to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, the rate of climate change in the depths of the world’s oceans could be seven times higher than current levels in the second half of this century even if greenhouse gas emissions have been significantly reduced. Different global warming at different depths has a major impact on the wildlife of the oceans, causing disconnections as species that rely on each other for survival are forced to move. Professor Anthony Richardson of the University of Queensland and CSIRO, who is also one of the 10 authors of the study, pointed out: “What really worries us is that when we move down deep in the ocean, the climate velocity moves downwards. transfer at different speeds ”. This can create a disconnection with species that depend on organic organisms of different layers. Tuna, for example, live in the middle layer with a depth of 200 – 1000 m, but they need plankton near the sea surface. Professor Richardson emphasized that the results of the study are of concern, with climatic speeds varying depending on the depth of the ocean and the tendency for species to move to be uneven. This may mean marine protected areas established to protect species or habitats may no longer work as species move out of protected areas into unprotected areas.

Polar bear, one of the animals facing extinction due to the impact of climate change (Artwork: kinhtemoitruong.vn)

Climate change, if left unchecked, could destroy natural treasures in “biodiversity hotspots” around the world, scientists warn.

A global team of scientists has analyzed nearly 300 biodiversity hotspots on land and at sea. These are locations with a particularly high concentration of plant and animal species. Many of these hotspots include ‘endemic’ species, inhabiting only a single geographical location, such as an island or a country.

They found that if the planet heats above 3 ° C, one-third of the endemic species that live on land and about half of the endemic species living in the sea will face extinction. In mountainous regions, 84% of endemic animals and plants face extinction at these temperatures, while on islands it reaches 100%. Overall, 92% of terrestrial endemic and 95% marine endemic species face negative consequences at a 3 ° C increase, such as a reduction in numbers. Current policies are moving the world in this direction of about 3 ° C warming.

Among endemic species, there are some of the world’s most iconic animals and plants. Endemic species threatened by climate change include all lemurs that only exist in Madagascar; the blue crane – which is the national bird of South Africa; and the snow leopard, one of the most unique animals of the Himalayas.

Research shows that compared to widely available species, endemic species are 2.7 times more likely to become extinct if the temperature rise is not controlled. Since they are only found in a certain place, and if climate change changes their separate habitats, these species will inevitably disappear from the Earth’s surface. If greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase, places like the Caribbean islands, Madagascar and Sri Lanka may see most of their endemic plant species go extinct as soon as 2050. The tropics It is particularly vulnerable, with more than 60% of tropical endemic species facing extinction under the effects of climate change alone.

But everything is not necessarily over. If countries cut their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement then most of these endemic species will persist. In total, 2% of endemic soil species and 2% of endemic marine species face extinction if the temperature rises to 1.5ºC, and 4% at 2ºC. Strong commitments from global leaders ahead of the Glasgow climate change summit later this year could put the world on track to meet the Paris Agreement, and avoid the risk of treasures. The world’s most precious nature was destroyed on a large scale.

“Climate change threatens areas that are so rich in unique species of organisms,” said Stella Manes, study lead author and researcher at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Found anywhere else in the world. The risk of permanently disappearing these species will increase more than 10 times if we miss out on the goals of the Paris Agreement. Biodiversity has more value than just seeing. The higher the species diversity, the better the health of nature, while also protecting against threats such as climate change. Healthy nature will provide indispensable sources of life for humans, such as water, food and materials, protect us from natural disasters, provide value for recreational relaxation and cultural connectivity, and morale.”

“Our research shows that a one-color and possibly very boring world awaits them,” said Wolfgang Kiessling, a marine expert from Friedrich-Alexander Erlangen- Nürnberg University and author of the study. We are ahead due to climate change. Organisms will benefit, while native species that contribute to the distinctive look of hot spots will disappear. ”

“This study found that species are geographically rare, especially those that live,” said Mark Costello, a marine expert from the University of Nord and the University of Auckland and author of the study. on islands and mountains, which are already in danger of extinction due to current climate change, these species cannot easily migrate to more favorable environments by their natural characteristics. that 20% of all species will be threatened with extinction by climate change in the coming decades, unless we act now. ”

According to Shobha S. Maharaj, an island expert from the Caribbean Journal of Environmental Science and Renewable Energy, and author of the study: “This study shows the relative risk of extinction due to climate change. with rare species living in the island area, it is 8 times higher than that in the mainland. The geographic rarity of these species makes them of global value to nature. Such species cannot easily migrate to more favorable environments and their end to extinction could lead to a global decline in disproportionate species.

According to research published in Nature, fishing operations emit about 1 billion tons of CO2 emissions per year – higher than those emitted by aviation (before the COVID pandemic – 19 ).

Industrial fishing, in particular the method of pulling nets along the seabed, not only contributes to climate change becoming more serious, but also greatly damages biodiversity. positive.

“This activity is the equivalent of plowing an old forest, repeating until there is nothing left,” report author Enric Sala, a marine biologist, points out.

Industrial fishing is also one of the least expensive fishing methods. Researcher Sala also said that most of the hunting grounds have been repeatedly caught, leaving little value left to catch.

Mr. Eric Sala is looking at possible dynamics that could cause the fishing industry and governments to abandon netting methods and hope the findings on the carbon footprint could be just a wake-up call.

The study of Mr. Sala et al. Breaks down the entire ocean into 50 square km units, measuring the extent to which each unit contributes to global marine biodiversity, fish stocks and climate protection, based on a complex analysis of the location, water temperature, salinity and distribution of species, among other factors.

At the same time, this study also monitors the amount of CO2 emissions each unit is capable of absorbing.

By mapping baselines for each previously divided unit, research can calculate the effects of an increase or decrease in fishing and other human activities.

The overall goal is to develop a map of ocean locations that, if protected, would be of maximum benefit to humans in increasing fish stocks, biodiversity and carbon sequestration while minimizing losses. income harm to the fishing industry.

Dismissing the long-held view that protecting oceans harm fisheries, research shows that marine protected areas designed to prevent overfishing will actually boost marine life. by acting as fish nurseries.

According to the study results, ocean protection could increase global fisheries production by more than 8 million tons per year, despite the challenges of overfishing and climate change.

“However, the fishing will have to stop,” said Mr Sala. While mangroves, kelp forests and sea grasslands have good carbon sequestration capacity, below the ocean floor is a large carbon sink.

Once fishermen’s nets are released into the ocean, the carbon gas is released back into the water. Excess carbon in the water turns it into acid, which is harmful to marine organisms.

Worse yet, this situation also affects the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon in the atmosphere: if seawater is saturated, it will not be able to absorb man-made emissions, limiting one of the The best “weapon” of man in the fight against climate change.

By combining publicly available data on the operations of fishing vessels globally with unit estimates of the amount of carbon stored in ocean sediment layers, researcher Sala and his team had The amount of emissions generated by this method can be calculated at the national level.

For example, the European Union emits 274,718,086 tons of carbon into the oceans each year, while Chinese fleets emit 769,294,185 tons and the US emits 19,373,438 tons.

Technological innovations such as green energy production and battery storage are critical to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. But there is a need to reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, and so far the technology has not been able to do it at a reasonable cost and scale.

Mr. Sala said the oceans have been absorbing carbon for thousands of years. “Most people still see oceans as victims of climate change. What people don’t realize is that nature is part of the solution to the climate crisis. ”

Sapphire

According to Time

After sunset in Jaffna, Anthony Vigrado dived into the waters of Palk Bay to catch sea cucumbers – a prickly skin creature that has grown in value and has been his main source of income for the past 12 years.

But after 10 hours of searching, what he got is a fraction of what he used to be. The reason is that sea cucumbers have been extensively exploited in the northern coasts of Sri Lanka and southern India.

Treasures of the sea

“Illegal fishermen are fishing illegally in the places where we often dive for sea cucumbers. We are losing income and a livelihood for them, ”said the 31-year-old fisherman.

Sea cucumbers are echinoderms with a soft, tubular body resembling a vegetable of the same name. Photo: Guardian.

Sea cucumbers are echinoderms with a soft, tubular body resembling a vegetable of the same name. They are an unusual animal but play an important role in the marine ecosystem. When they eat debris in sediments, they regenerate nutrients and excrete nitrogen, ammonia and calcium carbonate – components that make up coral reefs. Sea cucumber also helps slow ocean acidification due to human activity.

The demand for sea cucumbers is huge in China and Southeast Asian countries, where they are processed into delicious dishes and used in traditional remedies. Dried sea cucumber is called calche-de-mer or trepang. They are also considered by many, especially China, an aphrodisiac.

This has made the sea cucumber trade become “super profitable”. Therefore, this animal is in danger of extinction. In the 1980s, sea cucumber was priced below 70 USD / kg, now the price has increased to more than 270 USD / kg. The rare species cost up to nearly 3,500 USD / kg.

Over the years, sea cucumbers in Palk Bay and Mannar Bay are overfished. For the most expensive species, the number of individuals has dropped by more than 60% globally.

Fishermen harvested sea cucumbers caught on Mannar Bay. Photo: Guardian.

Now, this tiny tropical island has become a hotspot for smuggling and illegal sea cucumber fishing. Like Vigrado, more than 10,000 fishing families living along Sri Lanka’s north coast are anxious about their livelihoods.

Chamari Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer in Zoology at Sri Jayewardenepura University in Sri Lanka, said: “The number of sea cucumbers is plummeting due to overfishing. It affects the biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal fishermen who have long depended on this profession ”.

Vigrado said many illegal fishing boats damaged the facilities and equipment of local fishermen to catch sea cucumbers, causing some people to commit suicide because they could not pay the debt.

“They are grabbing everything”

AM Stanny Lambert, a 31-year-old fisherman from Vankalai in Mannar, said he was sad and angry at these crimes.

“It was unethical and we were stuck, because they were doing everything in front of us,” he said. Lambert and his father have been licensed to fish for 11 years and are the breadwinner of the family.

Most reported offenses take advantage of different regulations from neighboring countries. While Sri Lanka issued fishing permits and permits the export of sea cucumbers, India has completely banned all trade in these animals since 2001.

As a result, sea cucumbers are illegally caught in India and smuggled into Sri Lanka, where they are legally exported to Southeast Asia, or exported from India under fake labels.

Marine animal protection forces in Lakshadweep Islands, India seized 486 sea cucumbers died in March 2021. Photo: Lakshadweep Forest Management Board.

In August 2020, three men were caught smuggling nearly 1,000 kg of sea cucumber from Tamil Nadu in India to Sri Lanka via Mannar Bay. The Indian Coast Guard priced these sea cucumbers to nearly $ 700,000 in the international market. A similar case was reported in March 2021.

Teale Phelps Bondaroff, research director at OceansAsia, an organization that recently mapped sea cucumber arrests and seizures in the two countries, said: “If you have a legitimate market near a market, illegal, legal markets will become huge “fish wash” dens.

Exhausted

For many years, the Sri Lankan and Indian authorities have worked to combat this type of marine crime. But the growing number of arrests shows that illegal trade is spreading to areas that have never been affected before.

Nowadays, as the value of animals is increasing, exploitation is also becoming more common. Great demand for sea cucumbers has led to deadly violence in Mexico, related to yakuza criminal organizations in Japan, and smuggling between Tanzania and Zanzibar.

According to OceansAsia, the network of organized sea cucumber fishing and smuggling criminals is spreading from the Palk Bay and Mannar Bay into untapped areas of the Lakshadweep alliance, an archipelago off the west coast. South India.

Wild island of Suheli in Lakshadweep. Photo: Guardian.

In the largest recorded arrest, disclosure from local fishermen in February 2020 helped authorities find 1,716 sea cucumbers worth nearly $ 580,000 hidden in nearby coral reefs. Suheli deserted island.

“Resource depletion may be the main reason these people are looking for new locations. Lakshadweep is still pristine, which may be why merchants moved there, ”said Sajan John, head of the Marine Projects and Policy Management Unit at Wildlife Trust of India.

Realizing the seriousness of the crime of selling sea cucumbers, the local government reacted strongly. In February 2020, the world’s first sea cucumbers conservation area was established in Lakshadweep, anti-theft bases were established across the islands and Lakshadweep Sea cucumber Protection Task Force was established. established with the help of the Central Bureau of Investigation of India.

A batch of 416 dead sea cucumbers was seized on a deserted island off Perumal in Lakshadweep in March 2021. Photo: Lakshadweep Forest Management Board.

“The people of Lakshadweep understand the importance of sea cucumber because their livelihood depends on fishing. When sea cucumbers are affected, other fisheries are also affected, ”said Sivakumar Kuppusamy, a scientist at the Indian Institute of Wildlife.

But as the majority of illegally-caught and trafficked sea cucumbers continue to be smuggled into Sri Lanka, Kuppusamy agrees that while it is important to stop this illegal supply chain, educate the fighters. Illegally catching sea cucumbers correctly appreciates the importance of this animal is also important to protect them.

“We have to convince them of the role of sea cucumber in the ecosystem. Without sea cucumbers, they are jeopardizing the sea, ”he said. “That’s when they begin to realize that their livelihoods and their children’s futures will be affected.”

“Break that illegal supply chain and convince the fishermen – we have to do both. If not, this business will continue to grow ”.

The strange movement of a flying snake Some snakes are able to climb trees and “fly” from branch to branch with deliberate jumps. Scientists are investigating what makes them do that.