International Day for Biological Diversity - May 22, 2025 - "Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development"

This year, to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity, human initiatives aimed at preserving it and offsetting anthropogenic impacts are being highlighted: the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What do they have in common? Goals and targets to be achieved by 2030. But that's not all... Biodiversity preservation and sustainable development go hand in hand.

Very often times, Man believes he can do without the biodiversity surrounding him, even though it is a pillar of development. The four goals and 23 action targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework are aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 SDGs. Making progress on one means advancing the other, never heard of ‘’Unity is strength?’’

Let us make things clearer and pick one concrete example:

Goal A of the KMGBF, "Protect and Restore" aims to maintain, enhance and restore ecosystems, reduce the extinction rate and ensure an abundance of native wild species on healthy and resilient levels.

This goal has several correlations with the following SDGs:

• SDG 6: Ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
• SDG 13: Taking immediate action to combat climate change and its impacts.
• SDG 14: Conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.
• SDG 15: Protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, reversing land degradation, and halting biodiversity loss. 

It goes the same way for the other goals. You can consult the interactive tool of the 2025 International Day for Biodiversity campaign to explore these links in more detail.

Now, these goals need to be achieved...

Right there: how is biodiversity doing in Africa, five years from the deadline?
Here are some key figures.

1 million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction worldwide (United Nations).

Africa registered a 76% decline in wildlife populations, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish (Living Planet Report 2024 – WWF).

A study published in "The African Economy 2024" confirms the erosion of biodiversity on the continent, with a 5.6% decline in ecosystem capability, particularly pronounced in Madagascar, Southern Africa, and the Congo Basin.

Mainly due to habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, and the effects of climate change, current negative trends do not seem to be achieving global goals. Don't let these commitments end up as mere words or forgotten promises. It's never too late to do the right thing.

Main message: A call is made to governments and all Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to swiftly prepare National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs), which contribute to the Global Biodiversity Framework and align with national sustainable development strategies.
Mainstreaming biodiversity into all aspects of development is essential. Investing in nature will contribute to the prosperity of societies. 

And here comes the Sahara and Sahel Observatory ...

Committed to supporting countries in achieving the objectives of the KMGBF, the OSS has strengthened its partnership with the CBD and has been selected as a regional center for technical and scientific cooperation. Furthermore, the OSS is a member of the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, which supports the updating and operationalization of African countries' NBSAPs. 
The Organization is particularly involved in ecosystem accounting, contributing to its integration into national strategies, those related to sustainable tourism in particular.