On the 13th Conference of the Parties (COP13) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that took place in Cancun, Mexico in December 2016, China was selected as the host of the COP15 to the Convention, which was to be held in October 2020 in China's Kunming but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new date for the COP15 is May 17-30, 2021.

In 2020, a year of crises and challenges, the world has not stopped in search for means to protect Earth's biodiversity. 

May 22 this year marked the 19th International Day for Biological Diversity. The theme this year was "Our solutions are in nature." World leaders along with environmental organizations and individuals are calling for more awareness in protecting biodiversity, the key to a sustainable future for humans.

A report commissioned by the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) showed that vast majority of consumers surveyed feel that companies are morally obligated to protect biodiversity. The report was based on a survey of 6,000 consumers, and more than 70 percent of them suggested their trust is higher when a brand's commitment to ethical sourcing of biodiversity is independently verified.

The growing awareness of protecting biodiversity is a reflection of various countries' continuous efforts in putting words into actions. On September 30 in New York, the first-ever United Nations Summit on Biodiversity at the level of Heads of State and Government was closed by the General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir with a call for green recovery from COVID-19 and an emphasis on protecting biodiversity.

(Cover image via VCG)

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