A ProMED-mail post <http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>
Date: December 2018
Source: International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) [edited] <https://www.ippc.int/en/news/a-year-to-celebrate-plants-un-proclaims-2020-the-international-year-of-plant-health/>
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO] and the International Plant Protection Convention Secretariat [IPPC] welcome the UN General Assembly proclaiming 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health.
The year is expected to increase awareness among the public and policy makers of the importance of healthy plants and the necessity to protect them in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Today, up to 40 percent of global food crops are lost annuall y due to plant pests [and diseases]. Plant diseases alone cost the global economy around USD 220 billion annually and invasive insects around USD 70 billion. "The International Year of Plant Health is a key initiative to highlight the importance of plant health to enhance food security, protect the environment and biodiversity, and boost economic development," IPPC Secretary Jingyuan Xia said. "Despite the increasing impact of plant pests [and diseases], resources are scarce to address the problem."
The prevention of the spread of such organisms is very much an undertaking that requires the collaboration of all countries. This is why Finland first proposed the year. The UN called on governments, civil society, and the private sector to engage at global, regional and national levels. An International Plant Health Conference will be among thousands of plant health events to be held globally throughout 2020.
Healthy plants are the foundation for all life, ecosystem functions and food security. Sustaining plant health protects the environment, forests and biodiversity, addresses the effects of climate change, and supports efforts to end hunger. The IPPC is an international treaty that entered into force in 1952 and provides a framework to protect the world's plant resources from the harm caused by pests [and diseases]. It is currently composed of 183 contracting parties.
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Communicated by: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
[This decision by the UN recognises that plants are the foundation of life on earth and, furthermore, that "Plant Health is Earth's Wealth".
In the face of global climate change and population explosion this acknowledgement seems decidedly overdue. Nevertheless, it must be highly applauded as a means to raise awareness of the significance of protecting both crop and non-crop plants and so to preserve ecosystems essential for continued survival of all animal species, including humans. The vital urgency of finding solutions to these issues cannot be over-emphasised (see links below).
Links
Additional news story:
<http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1175295/icode/>
Background information on the UN declaration via:
<http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/CA0324EN>
Importance and urgency of ecosystem protection:
<https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/67/12/1026/4605229>,
<https://sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2018/03/08/world-scientists-warning-to-humanity-most-talked-about-paper.html>,
<https://www.ecowatch.com/warning-to-humanity-scientists-2544973158.html>,
<https://www.sciencealert.com/world-scientists-warning-second-notice-record-breaking-responses>
and via
<https://www.scientistswarning.org/>
IPPC:
<https://www.ippc.int/en/>
- Mod.DHA]
Topics
Species
