World Environment Day 2020 and Biodiversity of Gilgit Baltistan (North Pakistan)

Celebrate Biodiversity (2020)

World Environment Day is celebrated on 5 June each year to arouse worldwide awareness and action to protect the environment. World Environment Day  was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 on the first day of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, resulting from discussions on the combination of human interactions and the environment. Two years later, in 1974 the first world environment day was held with the theme "Only One Earth". Even though world environment day celebration have been held annually since 1974.

Theme of the World Environment Day 2020

The Theme for World Environment Day 2020 is “celebrate biodiversity”. Pakistan is rich in Biodiversity but currently facing severe environmental threats such as deforestation, soil erosion, overgrazing, pollution all these contributes to the degradation of natural resources and the recent threats for agriculture and food protection is the Locust’s attack. The recent Covid-19 pandemic has confined all humans and their way of life .This year’s World Environment Day theme focuses on; how we can develop a good management that supports life on earth and human development. If we follow the rules of sustainable development than we can make a good relationship with environment which will support all the varieties of living organisms. Every World Environment Day is hosted by a different country each year and different activities and celebrations take place on this day, but due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and the lock down, this year millions of people worldwide are celebrating it digitally.

Biodiversity of Gilgit Baltistan

Biodiversity: Biodiversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is normally a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level. “Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area—the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, like an intricate web, to maintain balance and support life. Biodiversity supports everything in nature that we need to survive: food, clean water, medicine, and shelter.”

        

The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), was formerly known as Northern Areas (NA) of Pakistan which has a unique and vital role in sustainable development of Pakistan. GB has a small geographic range of an area of 72,971 km² (28,174 mi²), lying in the extreme north of Pakistan (75 08 48.12 E and 37 00 47.33 N to 77 41 11.82 E and 35 27 26.06 N) (Khan 2012).Gilgit Baltistan has a unique bio-geographic location. Nature has gifted this region with enormous glaciers, great mountains, and glorious rivers, marvelous and beautiful valleys. Karakoram, Himalayas and Hindu Kush the world’s three great mountain ranges meet at the convergence of the Gilgit and Indus River. There are more than three peaks over the range of 8,000 m which further increases the biological richness of this region. Gilgit Baltistan is rich in biological diversity because of the extreme altitudinal differences and related changes in climate and soil conditions. There is a large variety of Fauna found in this region including vertebrates and invertebrates species. Large number of globally significant species of wildlife are found in this area which also includes some of the endangered species such as Markhor, Snow Leopard, Marco polo sheep, Himalayan Brown Bear. Similarly a large number of plant species (Flora) are also found in this area which has a high economic and conservational value and also different types of medicinal plants are found in this area. Different species are found in Gilgit Baltistan which includes Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fresh water fish, insects and plants. Medicinal and aromatic plants like Afsantin (Artemisia maritimia), Kuth (Saussria lappa) and Mulathi (Glycyrrhiza glabra) are the precious components of Gilgit Baltistan’s biodiversity. These resources bring benefits to the local people, mainly by the sustainable use of these resources. Mostly we are not aware about these precious resources and we don’t know the benefits of these precious resources. In this present age few people are using these resources as a medicine, they also believe and they know the usage and benefits of these resources .Mostly of us even don’t know their Local Names, There are many medicinal plants which have beautiful local names and still we are unaware about these useful resources. Ethno botanical surveys are needed to explore the wealth of plants of medicinal values and their commercial importance. Such surveys are also needed to define the current status of key species of medicinal plants, which were overused in the past. These precious species were overused heavily in the past and now believed to have extinct from many of its natural habitats due to uncontrolled ,misused and  destruction of their habitat. Some of the Local names of these precious plants are Tumuro (Thymus serpyllum) and Buru (Sea Buckthorn). Gilgit Baltistan is blessed with excessive water resources; mainly the rivers, streams, and alpine lakes nourished by the snowmelt and glacier waters which further increase the biological richness of this region.

           

                            

Biodiversity is our natural wealth. The conservation of biodiversity is important in both ways economically and ethically. Biodiversity provides us goods and services which are important to our survival which includes clean air, fresh water, medicines and shelters. . Biodiversity also provide people with recreational, psychological, emotional and spiritual peace and enjoyment.  Nearly the whole population of Gilgit Baltistan depends directly or indirectly on natural resources to fulfill their daily needs. Vegetables, fresh fruits, dry fruits, nuts, honey, spices and many other food items that people use in their everyday routine comes from natural ecosystems. Similarly, timber for the construction purpose for building houses and to make furniture, wood for heating and cooking purpose comes also from natural forests. Indeed, the conservation of biodiversity is very important to attain the sustainable Development in Gilgit Baltistan. “Some people believe that we should protect and restore biodiversity because of its benefit to mankind, while others believe that it is our moral obligation to care about biodiversity simply because all species have right to live and have value in the nature, whether or not we understand their benefits to human.” (Alonso et al. 2001). The foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the climate that makes our planet habitable all come from environment. Amid this time of fear (Covid-19), we must take special care of ourselves and our environment. The nature itself has given us a message that it’s the time to wake up and to change our behavior towards our environment, to raise our voice for the protection of our biodiversity and it’s the time to rebuild our earth as a better place for the human beings and for other wild species. If we devastate our environment and our biodiversity than it will be dangerous for us. Everything is in our own hands; we the Homo sapiens can make or devastate anything intentionally or unintentionally. There must be such activities to save biodiversity of Gilgit Baltistan. Together, we can bring positive solutions and protect the biodiversity of Gilgit Baltistan.