On this day, May 22nd, we mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, this year under the theme: „Harmony with nature and sustainable development“. Biodiversity is deteriorating at an alarming rate. According to the Living Planet Report 2024, the average size of vertebrate wildlife populations has declined by a staggering 73% between 1970 and 2020—clearly indicating that current efforts and policy measures are insufficient, and that urgent action is required to safeguard biodiversity.
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines biodiversity as the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part. This includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems. The Law on Nature Protection of the Republic of Serbia defines biodiversity as the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems on Earth or within a clearly defined area.
In alignment with this date, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a clear message: “Living in harmony with nature is not a choice – it is the only path to a sustainable future.” He emphasized that no country, regardless of its wealth, can survive without biodiversity, and that global policies, empowered local communities, and the fair distribution of resources are essential to survival. He further stressed the need to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, reform our patterns of production and consumption, and redirect financial flows towards the protection of nature.
Adopted by 196 countries at COP15 in late 2022, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework sets an ambitious strategic course toward a world living in harmony with nature. The framework includes four long-term goals to be achieved by 2050 and 23 specific targets by 2030, aimed at:
- Reducing threats to biodiversity;
- Ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources and equitable benefit-sharing;
- Developing tools and mechanisms for effective implementation and mainstreaming biodiversity across all relevant sectors.
Serbia has not yet formally adopted its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan with this political and strategic framework, despite the increasingly evident need for urgent action. Symbolically, just ahead of World Bee Day, observed on May 20th, data were released highlighting the decline of wild pollinators, including bees, further signaling threats to biodiversity. This trend also poses a serious risk to agriculture—a sector already under strain from climate change.
It is high time for responsible, systemic, and legally grounded action. The conservation of biodiversity is a cornerstone of long-term stability and sustainable development. Achieving harmony with nature requires clear political will, effective legislation, and a societal understanding that investing in nature is not a cost, but a strategic investment in a safer and healthier future.
Despite the existence of ambitious international frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, their actual implementation remains a challenge—both globally and in Serbia. Experiences with the implementation of similar documents, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, show that without concrete institutional mechanisms and consistent political continuity, international commitments can easily remain merely normative ideals. The failure to adopt key strategic documents such as the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia for the period 2021–2035 further hinders the integration of biodiversity protection goals into sectoral policies, particularly in the areas of spatial planning and land use. In this context, further progress requires not only a reaffirmation of political will but also the establishment of clear mechanisms of accountability and coordination among institutions, so that biodiversity conservation becomes an integral part of overall development.