FOUR years ago the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) unveiled the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) – the country’s roadmap to conserve its biodiversity. PBSAP was crafted in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme with the aim of restoring and rehabilitating our biodiversity by the year 2027.
PBSAP is anchored on the Philippine Development Plan, which means that the pursuit of economic growth, while protecting the environment, is the way forward. But to be effective, the PBSAP should be supported by us, citizens, through our collective and active involvement in biodiversity conservation. Two days ago, March 3, it was World Wildlife Day. The yearly observance was a call for us all to take part in biodiversity conservation efforts.
Here’s the hurtful truth: despite the abundance in our natural resources, many remain poor and hungry. Our country is one of the mega diverse countries and has one of the highest rates of discovery of new species in the world. But despite these bountiful resources, many remain destitute. Coastal residents, who should have access to bountiful marine resources, are among the poorest citizens.
The PBSAP highlights that people should be at the core of conservation, protection and rehabilitation, and developmental initiatives. Local government units and their respective communities should work together towards the protection of natural resources, and green jobs and green skills should be further promoted to contribute to environmental protection.
The first step towards building a sustainable community, one that respects biodiversity, is to correct one of the biggest misconceptions about the environment — that natural resources are infinite. We all need to stop craving for and taking more than what we need.
Yes, we are all consumers and we contribute to the decline of the world’s resources because of our insatiable demand for new things. The rate of extraction and consumption is way faster than the rate with which the Earth can replenish its resources.
Let us preserve what remains of our natural resources by taking action today. We can start by managing our greed.
