The Department of Forests, Environment & Wildlife Management, Government of Sikkim is organizing a One Day International Conference on Biodiversity and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Sustainable Livelihood and Protecting the Planet on 4th of May, 2018 at Chintan Bhawan, Gangtok.

CONCEPT NOTE

International Conference on Biodiversity and SDGs: Sustainable Livelihood and Protecting the Planet

The UN General Assembly declared the period 2011-2020 as "United Nations Decade on Biodiversity" to promote the implementation of a strategic plan on biodiveristy and its overall vision of living in harmony with nature. It is also a period in which the governments have to take concerted efforts to achieve "Aichi Target" or the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss, reduce the pressures on biodiversity, safeguard biodiversity at all levels, enhance the benfits provided by biodiveristy. The importance of biodiveristy and ecosystems is therefore reflected in many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) and targets.

In this context, the Government of Sikkim is organizing International Conference on Biodiversity and SDG's: Sustainable Livelihood and Protecting the Planetin Gangtok, Sikkim on 4th of May, 2018. Following themes for the conference are proposed to address the different SDGs:

Biodiveristy for removing poverty and doubling rural incomes: In this session SDG GOAL 1: No Poverty in all its form everywhere will be addressed by focussing on how biodiversity reduces poverty in all its form and doubles the income of the rural communities and making efforts to calculate the true cost accounting.

Biodiveristy for improving nutrition and health: Role of biodiversity in improving health and nutrition will be explored to address the SDG GOAL 2: Zero Hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture and GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being will be explored. It is well established now that by producing poison-free food through biodiverse organic farming is capable to addressing these goals.

Biodiveristy and Women: Redefining work for creating real wealth and protecting the Earth: This session is planned to address the SDG GOAL 5: Gender Equality, achieve gender equalioty and empower all women; SDG GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality, within and among countries. It is well established that the biodiverse organic farming not only produces more but also provides people with work and helps in reducing the gender inequality.

Biodiveristy and Climate Change: The session will cover the SDG GOAL 13: Clmate Action, SDG GOAL 14: Life Below Water, and SDG GOAL 15: Life on Land. Careful management for this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustaianble future.

Education for Sustainable Living: The conference will also address the SDG GOAL 4: Quality Education, ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning and the SDG GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Also see

» Proposed Sessions and Suggested Speakers  [PDF: 2.48 Mb]