UN warns about reduction of biodiversity on earth
April 03, 2018 | 20:14 |1515
The number of species of animals and plants on earth is declining. This is indicated by four new scientific reports prepared by the UN Commission on Biodiversity and heard in the organization. The reports cover the situation in four regions of the world: North and South America, Europe and Central Asia, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Sadly, in general, biodiversity on earth is shrinking. For example, during the meeting of the commission, attention was paid to the death of the last northern white rhino in Africa, as well as to a sharp decrease in the number of all elephants, tigers and pangolins. Despite the fact that the region of Europe and Central Asia is in the most favorable position, 28% of the animal species that live only in Europe today are under threat. In addition, over the past decade, 42% of terrestrial plants and animal species have disappeared in the European-Central Asian region, and since 1970, wetlands have halved. Unfortunately, in other regions the situation is not better. What is the reason of the decrease of the number of species of animals and plants? Alas, the answer is simple. The number of us, people, keeps on increasing. Humanity needs more food, drinking water, energy and land. Environmentalists directly say that the increase in the number of people on the planet has led to a change in the habitat of animals and plants. And then, climate change, which is also caused by people, will also negatively affect biodiversity. As a result, we have what we have. And yet, I think that this is not a deadlock, and the question is not us (people) versus them (plants and animals).Nury AMANOV
Of course, a person lives eating meat of animals using plants. Another has not yet been given. But the Earth's resources are enough to allow a person to live on the planet without rooting out any kinds of plants and animals. The trouble is that humanity has not yet learned to pacify its selfishness and carefully use these resources.
In this regard, I would like to turn to the experience of Turkmenistan in the conservation of biodiversity. Of course, the situation in our country favors the conservation of nature in the sense that the territory of the state is large, and the population of the country is relatively small. That is, a person does not need to intrude into the wild. However, here the attitude of the state and society to issues of nature protection is indicative. The state in this case pursues one goal - to preserve the nature of the country and bring this wealth to future generations.
Turkmenistan has ratified and strictly adheres to the UN environmental conventions on biological diversity, on combating desertification, on climate change, on the protection of the ozone layer, on the protection and use of transboundary watercourses and international lakes.
At the national level, the laws "On Nature Protection", "On Specially Protected Natural Territories", "On Protection of the Ozone Layer", "Forest Code", "On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources", "On Flora", "On Fauna", etc. have been adopted. "National Strategy on Climate Change" and "National Forest Program of Turkmenistan" are gradually implemented.
A few words should be said about the construction of the Turkmen Lake "Altyn Asyr" in the center of the Karakum Desert, where drainage waters drain from all regions of the country. This lake is intended to improve the state of irrigated land and solve problems associated with salinization of soils. In just a few years, the territories adjacent to the Turkmen Lake became green, and fish appeared in the lake itself. Now on the Turkmen lake you can see flocks of migratory birds, and on the shore - "red book" ungulates: Ustyurt mountain sheep, kulans and gazelle.
Reserves play an important role in protecting the nature in Turkmenistan. The youngest of them is the "Bereketli Garagum" (Gracious Karakum) reserve, created in 2013. Its total area is 87,800 hectares, and according to ecologists, there are more than 1000 species of fauna and 293 species of flora.
A total of 10 reserves and 15 sanctuaries operate on the territory of Turkmenistan.
And of course, our talk about nature protection will be incomplete if we do not recall the assistance that Turkmenistan rendered to Russia in restoring the population of the Asiatic leopard in the Caucasus. In September 2009, two male leopards from Turkmenistan were brought to the Leopard Recovery Center in the Caucasus. In April 2010 they were joined by two females from Iran. In August 2013, the Turkmen male and Iranian female leopards had two cubs.
Thus, there is still much hope in the conservation of biodiversity.
