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This year’s focus is on the interrelation between Biodiversity and Climate Change. How species and whole ecosystems are under threat of extinction because of climate change and consequently, how vital ecosystem services for Humankind are lost. At the same time the regulating role of intact ecosystems on climate change and the importance of their resilience are presented.
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The importance of protected areas as biodiversity havens was the theme of this year’s action days, set in the Guantanamo Province. On the occasion exhibitions, excursions, theatrical plays and artistic projects were organized for children, young and old.
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On the occasion of the international Day of Forests, the action day’s theme was “Forest for the People”. The stage was set in Okongo, in northern Namibia. The participants examined the importance of forest biological diversity for the local environment, economy and population.
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The „International Biodiversity Year“ staged a global action day: 38 countries from 4 continents participated. Under the motto “Biodiversity and Development”, the importance of intact ecosystems for Human welfare was examined and discussed.
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Almost 300 participants explored the rich biodiversity of the Kruger to Canyon (K2C) Biosphere Reserve. This was following a 2-day “Sustainable Living Festival”. The Action Day results were presented at the occasion of a Gala dinner with the South African Environment Minister Representative.
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During these action days, participants looked for „Biodiversity Stations“ in and around the Tam Dao National Park. At the symposium that followed, Vietnamese and international experts described the interrelation between Climate Change and Biodiversity, as well as its effects on poverty and sustainable development.
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This year the action day was held as a first in Central America, in the biosphere reserve “Rio Platano” in the North-East of Honduras. With exactly 200 participants, the day was declared a great success: the CBD Secretariat even featured it as “best practice” for public awareness rising around Biodiversity.
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For the first time since its existence, the action day was held in Africa: During an excursion the participants explored the biodiversity of the Bandiagara Cliff in the Land of the Dogons in Mali. The day was then concluded by a dialogue between representatives of “modern” science and local knowledge holders.
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A series of event were organized that year at United Nations’ Headquarters. Some highlights were an international photo exhibition and a high level podium discussion at the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations.
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This time, the exploring ground was in the urban area around Manaus. The action day with the theme “Biodiversity and Poverty Reduction : a possible sustainable development” was organized by different Brazilian Partner-organizations under the lead of the Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM) and of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia (INPA).
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This Action Day was set in the north-western part of the Yunnan Province. After an extensive “Bio- inventory”, the focus was on the population’s traditional knowledge about the regional biodiversity, which is seen as key to its conservation and sustainable use.
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This Action Day directly followed the Humboldt Conference on : “200 Years Biodiversity Research: Colombia/Germany”. The highlight of the day in Colombia was a 24-hour inventory of biological diversity in the Andes region around the Villa de Leyva. In Germany, parks, urban forests and replanted spoil tips of the Ruhrgebiet, between Duisburg and Hamm, were explored.