Biodiversity conference underway at Ada
Conservation experts and representatives of business entities from Africa have converged on Ada, in the Greater Accra Region, to deliberate on halting biodiversity loss and ensuring human existence.
The meeting follows research findings which indicate that nature's capacity to clean the air and water, to pollinate crops and to limit the impacts of catastrophes such as flooding, is being compromised as a result of human activity.
The development, according to researchers, has a potentially significant unforseen cost to society and the global economy at large.
The biodiversity conference, organised by Birdlife International, is hosted by the Ghana Wildlife Society on the theme: ‘'Investing in natural capital for inclusive development’’. It has been dubbed the ‘Pan African business and biodiversity forum.’
Environmental advocate
Speaking at the opening of the conference, the Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, an environmental advocate, expressed worry over the spate of destruction of the natural environment.
Natural habitats, he said, were in an unfavourable state as many species were threatened with extinction.
He urged mankind to recognise the effect of biodiversity loss and recognise its negative impact on human existence.
To change the trend, Osagyefo Ofori Panin urged African leaders to be generational thinkers who are selfless in their approach to nature "and take care of the environment and nature".
According to him, it is a collective responsibility for all to take care of the environment but the government must take the lead role in ensuring that nature is managed sustainably.
The Okyehene observed that Africa was in a unique position to be a world leader in sustainable development.
Earth Index
The director in charge of partnership and capacity at Birdlife International, Mr Hazell Shokellu Thompson, in a remark, said an earth index released recently revealed that vultures that feed on carcases to safeguard human existence were under threat.
He said “vultures safeguard human health by cleaning carcases in the environment. We need to protect them."
Mr Thompson noted that people despise vultures because they do not know they are essential to human existence.
