The International Day for Biodiversity is celebrated every year on 22 May, commemorating the adoption of the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. The 2024 edition “Be part of the Plan” was a call to action for all stakeholders to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the The Biodiversity Plan.

As humanity is facing the intertwined triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature, and biodiversity loss, and pollution, collaborative action is needed from all sides of society to restore harmony with nature and foster a transition to sustainable socio-economic systems. The adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework in December 2022 was an important step to commit to action that protects nature. Biodiversity and nature conservation is mainstreamed in the multilateral activities of international Geneva, home to some of the key institutions that actively contribute to setting the global agenda to tackle the biodiversity crisis.

In the lead-up to the sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the CBD that will take place from 21 October to 1 November 2024 in Cali, Colombia, this year’s Biodiversity Day celebration in Geneva was the occasion to bring together governments, intergovernmental organizations, multilateral environmental agreements, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and other civil society organizations to highlight international Geneva’s role in implementing the Biodiversity Plan, including mobilizing and bolstering its means of implementation.

For the full list of speakers, links, and the full video of the event visit the Geneva Environment Network event page.