Every year on the 5th of June, World Environment Day is observed to inspire a worldwide call to action for the preservation of our environment. First established in 1974, this critical day encourages individuals, governments, celebrities, and businesses to concentrate their collective efforts on a significant environmental issue. In India, the focus for this year will be on Nagar Van (Urban Forests), in addition to the universal theme of World Environment Day. The Indian Navy also joined the cause with several initiatives designed to reduce its environmental footprint.
The Theme of World Environment Day 2020: Celebrating Biodiversity
The theme of this year’s World Environment Day centers on ‘Celebrating Biodiversity’ — an urgent and existential issue. With nearly one million species on the brink of extinction globally, focusing on biodiversity has never been more crucial. The event was hosted by Colombia in partnership with Germany.
Indian Navy’s Environment Conservation Initiatives
To commemorate this day, the Indian Navy released the ‘Indian Navy Environment Conservation Roadmap’ (INECR), a strategic document designed to progressively achieve a green footprint. The Navy voluntarily adopted all six schedules of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) regulations. This move aims to prevent pollution of the marine environment caused by ships, whether operational or accidental. Current efforts are directed toward reducing power consumption through the induction of energy-efficient equipment.
Understanding Urban Forests
An urban forest refers to a collection of trees, or indeed an actual forest, within a city, town, or suburb. It encompasses any type of woody plant vegetation growing in and around human settlements. Given the increasing urbanization, there is a pressing need to conserve biodiversity in urban spaces. Urban forests can include various green resources like woodlands, urban parks and gardens, street trees, botanical gardens, and even cemeteries.
Significance and Benefits of Urban Forests
Urban forests create microclimates that can help reduce the heat island effect seen in urban areas. They play crucial roles in managing water in urban areas and support the urban hydrological cycle. Moreover, urban forests can sequester substantial amounts of carbon, capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Challenges and Solutions to Urban Forests
Despite their benefits, urban forests face several issues such as lack of adequate planting spaces due to rapid urbanization, threats from invasive non-native plant species, and a general lack of public awareness. To address these challenges, innovative methods like the Japanese “Miyawaki” technique can be employed to grow dense, native urban forests in a short period of time. Increased awareness about urban forestry can also help in expanding urban forest cover.
Biodiversity: The Key Role it Plays
Biodiversity, or the variety of life on earth, is a fundamental measure of variation at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. It is directly linked to human health through ecosystem services like freshwater availability, food, and fuel sources. Changes in biodiversity can affect livelihoods, income, and even trigger political conflicts. In India, which hosts approximately 8% of global biodiversity, understanding and preserving this diversity is more important than ever.
The State of India’s Environment Report 2020 and the Path Ahead
According to the ‘State of India’ Environment 2020 report, the top five global economic risks in the past decade (2010-20) were all environmental, including extreme weather, failure of climate action, natural disasters, and loss of biodiversity. This emphasizes that humans cannot live in isolation and that the preservation of biodiversity is essential for survival. Consequently, maintaining the integrity of our environmental ecosystem is the only way to preserve the resilience of nature and protect the interconnected web of life.
The article is based on the Source: PIB.