International Day for Biological Diversity
Next: May 22, 2027
Every species counts, including us.
The story
Where it comes from
On 22 May 1992, at a conference in Nairobi, governments adopted the agreed text of the Convention on Biological Diversity, a treaty to conserve the variety of life, use it sustainably and share its benefits fairly. The UN first set the day on 29 December, the date the Convention came into force in 1993. In December 2000 the General Assembly moved it to 22 May, to mark the Nairobi text and because so many countries found it hard to hold events in the year-end holidays.
How it's celebrated
The Convention's secretariat, governments, schools and parks hold walks, talks and species counts. For years its Green Wave invited schools to plant a tree at 10 a.m. local time on 22 May, so that a wave of planting rolled around the world from east to west. Anyone can join in at home: plant something native, learn the birds on your street, or spend an hour in a park looking closely.
Did you know
- The Convention was opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit on 5 June 1992 and gathered 168 signatures within a year.
- Where 22 May is the wrong season for planting, Green Wave schools were asked to water a tree at 10 a.m. instead.
- Malaysia is one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries, with an estimated 15,000 species of vascular plants.
Coming up next
- World Turtle Day · May 23, 2027
- International Day of the Markhor · May 24, 2027
- World Football Day · May 25, 2027
- Africa Day · May 25, 2027
- World Lindy Hop Day · May 26, 2027
- Golden Gate Bridge Opens · May 27, 2027