Biodiversity conservation celebrated

BABOKI KAYAWE
Staff Writer | Monday November 15, 2010 00:00

Former Mozambican president and chairman of the Forum for Former African Heads of State, Joaquim Chissano made these remarks, on Friday at the 2010 Kalahari Conservation Society (KCS) Annual Gala Dinner Dance.

Chissano said conserving the ecological system has to be addressed by all stakeholders and cannot be left to governments alone.

The event was held at the GICC with the theme, International Year of Biodiversity Conservation; A Call For Stakeholder Participation. Chissano particularly implored on the private sector to play a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation as the effects of human activities such as burning forests, intensive farming and over fishing are overarching. 'To use biodiversity in a sustainable manner means to use natural resources at a rate that the earth can renew them, it's a way to ensure that we meet the demand of both present and future generations,' he said.

He stressed that as human population increases, so does pressure on ecosystems as more resources are drawn from it. He added that human ecological footprint on the planet is unsustainable and will become unbearable unless consumption patterns are changed. In the past, he said, humans adapted to changing conditions by increased productivity, but have now exceeded the earths' capacity. He advised that the only option is to manage productivity and resources in a sustainable manner. 'We have to reduce waste wherever possible, use principles of adaptive management, and take into account traditional knowledge which contributes to the maintenance of ecosystem services,' he added. Though he commended Botswana for prioritising conservation of nature and particularly biodiversity conservation as evidenced by the fact that former presidents Masire and Mogae, (and currently President Ian Khama) were patrons of the KCS, he lamented lack of compliance from international conventions. He cited the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, in which parties agreed 'to significantly reduce the current rate of biodiversity loss at global, regional and national levels' by 2010 as a failure. 'We are approaching the end of 2010 and it is clear that the target will not be met,' he said. This year has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity, and aims at celebrating life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives. The chief reason for dedicating 2010 to biodiversity is that humans are part of nature's rich diversity and have the power to protect or destroy, says the CBD website.