Minister of Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim has stated importance must be given to preserve the marine lives as the country is highly dependent on its resources.
In the official statement on occasion of International Day for Biological Diversity 2018, Environment Minister Thoriq stated that tourism and fisheries is the main income sources of the country which is directly dependent on the marine biodiversity. Noting that human activities have had major negative effect on the environment, Minister of Environment and Energy Thoriq Ibrahim said that a unified initiative can have revolutionary positive changes on the environment.
Minister Thoriq highlighted that plastic is a major factor which causes the death of marine life which can be solved with simple steps. Continuing on, Minister Thoriq highlighted Maldives is a country which is well known for its crystal clear water and white sandy beaches and have its own asset in the form of specific marine lives such as whale sharks which would only be seen in Maldives throughout the year. In this regard, the Minister called to preserve such marine lives. He called on all Maldivians to do their role in preserving the biodiversity of the country.
The International Day for Biological Diversity or World Biodiversity Day is a United Nations sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues held on May 22. The theme was chosen to mark the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity and to highlight progress made in the achievement of its objectives at the national and global levels.
The International Day for Biological Diversity falls within the scope of the United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals.