Annually we celebrate the World Nature Conservation Day on July 28th. World Nature Conservation Day has an important significance in today's era of globalization and modernization. This day plays a vital role in making awareness and takes a moment to think about our nature to preserve and conserve. It is very important to safeguard the current and upcoming generations.

The balance in the natural beauty of the earth can be established by conserving and preserving various components of nature. Famous conservationist Gifford Pincho said "Conservation means the wise use of the earth and its resources and for the lasting good of men". In addition, World Nature Conservation Day underlines the need for preserving the environment for future generations. We are therefore the need to leave a healthy planet for those coming after us to enjoy. The day acknowledges the fact that to live a stable and a healthy life, our nature has to be preserved. The main motive behind celebrating this day is to make people aware of their duties towards nature around them to conserve. It aims to conserve the environmental elements like animals and plants which are on the threat of extinction if not paid attention to.

The day is celebrated to teach and educate people about the best steps that we can take to protect the natural resources that human existence mostly is dependent on like water, plants, minerals, soil, etc. Nature provides us with all the essentials for our daily needs. Due to overpopulation and human negligence we started to over-exploit our resources. The W.W.F.'s Living Planet Report 2020 states that there has been an average 68% drop down in the global wildlife population sizes of birds, amphibians, fish, mammals, and reptiles between 1970 and 2016. If this continues, there will be no resources left for our future generations. The resources are needed to conserve to support life by supporting ecological balance. We need to ensure that the future generations will be able to access the resources. The biodiversity preservation also essential to ensure human race survival.

Human activities during the last century have had a devastating impact on natural vegetation and other resources. The pursuit for rapid industrialization and cutting down of forest cover to make space for the ever-growing population has caused climate change and other environmental indications. As the developed countries are producing tons of greenhouse gases regularly, it is damaging the nature very fast. But the developing or underdeveloped countries have to face the result of climate change first. It is an issue that isn't targeted to any specific group of people rather it will affect the whole of mankind.

As Bangladesh is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal in the southern part of the country, Bangladesh is at the risk of being affected by climate crisis. The rise of temperature which is very risky for the people living in coastal areas. It has been found in researches that if the average temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius, sea level will rise by 1 meter. It will cause thousands of people living in coastal areas to leave their accommodation. The Natural Conservation Day celebrated to make people aware that the nature, its climate and our environment need to be conserved for our best.

With the industrial revolution, millions of factories are set up and they are emitting chemicals that are very harmful to nature. Though the world leaders are discussing to reduce the carbon emission globally, we should be aware of the upcoming danger. If we don't take proper steps to prevent this, the world won't be a place of living things anymore.

In recent times, the need for conserving the nature has become more evident. The relentless human overexploitation of resources has led to unusual weather patterns. Bangladesh is hardly recognizing its six seasons at present days. Extinction of species is happening on a massive scale in worldwide. Around one million species of plants and animals are nearly extinct. Destruction of wildlife habitats, devastative loss of biodiversity, unplanned deforestation for more land space, these ruthless attitude towards nature will be a payback time. We should stop these before its too late. Conservation means living in a harmony, not stopping all the developments. We need to understand that nature conservation and preservation can possible along with developmental work. All we need to be responsible and do our duties to our nature and environment.

Earth's natural resources include air, minerals, plants, soil, water, and wildlife. Conservation is the care and preservation are the protection of these resources. It includes maintaining diversity of species, genes, and ecosystems, as well as functions of the environment, such as nutrient cycling. Only 12.5% of the landmass on Earth is dedicated to natural reserves. The natural world has suffered so much damage at the hands of human beings. World Nature Conservation Day protects the nature from further harm. We human beings rely on natural resources for our own survival. However, most of the resources are limited so we need to be very responsible and careful in term of consume it.

As humans, we should take every major step to protect the nature. We need to limit our need and use from using these resources. Renewable resources are also known as flow resources. These are those natural resources that do not run out because they get replaced naturally. Some examples of renewable resources are solar energy, wind, biomass, etc. in the replacement of fuel and coal in energy plant we can use it. These will help us to reduce air pollution and will decrease the use of natural resources. Abiotic natural resources use can be another way to conserve our nature. Some examples of abiotic resources are soil, water, minerals, sunlight, etc.

We have Environmental Conservation Act (1995) and the Environmental Conservation Rules (1997) by providing for the establishment of environmental courts for the trial of offences relating to environmental pollution. These acts and rules are not well practice in our country. The conservation act ensures that we need to conserve and preserve our nature and we can consume the resources without harming the nature. The Natural Conservation Day is to emphasize in the need for preserving the nature and aware of its need for rest of the days in the year. The natural conservationist, Leo Tolstoy said "One of the first conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken.". it's high time we should care our home, our mother nature.

Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, Dean, Faculty of Science, Chairman, Dept. of Environmental Science, Stamford University Bangladesh, Joint Secretary, Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Founder and Chairman, Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS)

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