Water and Biodiversity
The United Nations’ Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de 
Janeiro, Brazil from June 2–14, 1992, is regarded as important international effort 
taken in order to protect the biodiversity on the earth. The Convention on Biological 
Diversity (CBD) is the first global agreement for the conservation and sustainable 
use of biological diversity. The International Day for Biological Diversity was 
established by the United Nations to increase understanding and awareness of 
biodiversity issues. When it was first created by the Second Committee of the 
UN General Assembly in late 1993, 29th December (the date of entry into force 
of the Convention of Biological Diversity) was officially designated to celebrate 
the event. However, it was not celebrated until December 2000. Later on, the UN 
General Assembly changed the date to 22 May, commemorating the adoption of 
the text of the CBD which culminated on 22 May 1992 with the Nairobi Final Act 
of the Conference for the adoption of the agreed text of the CBD. 

Now, we are at the verge of celebrating the International Day for Biological 
Diversity on 22 May 2013 with the theme “Water and Biodiversity” which also 
coincides with the UN Year of Water Cooperation (2013). Water is essential for 
life. No living-being on the earth can survive without it. It is a prerequisite for 
human health and well-being as well as for the preservation of the environment. 
Unfortunately, we are facing water crisis at the global scale. Moreover, climate 
change is anticipated to lead to increase water scarcity along with more frequent and 
more extreme flooding.  Rise in temperature due to global warming is accelerating 
glacial melt in the Himalaya. Glaciers and icecaps regulate and provide a steady 
flow of water. But the flow of water is reduced when the size of icecaps and 
glaciers is reduced. Regular water supply is necessary for maintenance of the 
biodiversity. 

Biodiversity or biological diversity is the term given to the variety of life on the 
earth and the natural patterns it forms. Nepal is rich in biological diversity due to 
its varied climate and altitudinal ranges within short distance. Nepal comprises 
only about 0.1% of the terrestrial area of the earth, but it harbours large diversity of 
flora and fauna at genetic, species and ecosystem levels. A total of 118 ecosystems 
with 75 vegetation and 35 forest types are found in Nepal. Over 2% of the world’s 
flowering plants, about 9% of the world’s birds species, and about 4% of the 
world’s mammalian species are found in those ecosystems. In Nepal, this diverse 

Banko Janakari 
A Journal of Forestry Information for Nepal



Banko Janakari, Vol. 23, No. 1

2

biological resource supports directly to the livelihood improvement of the people, 
agricultural/forest productivity, human health and nutrition. 

Biodiversity, thus, has a stake with a valid claim on the nation’s limited water 
resource. Regular flow of water will maintain biodiversity and water regulation 
will only be ensured by maintaining or restoring the ecosystems. More mouths 
to feed, more water and food we need in the years to come. Hence, a strategy of 
ecosystem management that maintains all the ecosystem functions and services 
will reduce water crisis on the one hand, and support biodiversity conservation 
on the other hand.