A rescued wild bird is released back into the wild at Cúc Phương National Park at the event on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

NINH BÌNH — The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the People’s Committee of Ninh Bình Province and several international organisations, held a ceremony at Cúc Phương National Park on Thursday to celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity 2025 with the theme “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development”.

The event aims to raise public awareness and reaffirm the commitment of all stakeholders to implementing the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in late 2022, as well as Việt Nam’s National Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, with a vision to 2050.

At the ceremony, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Nguyễn Quốc Trị stressed that nature and biodiversity are the foundation of all life and crucial to sustainable human development. “Conserving biodiversity is synonymous with securing the future of humanity,” he stated.

According to the deputy minister, Việt Nam ranks 16th in the world for biodiversity and is home to a wide array of rare and endangered species and valuable wild genetic resources of national and global importance.

In recent years, the Party and the Government have given strong attention to biodiversity conservation, resulting in significant progress. The country currently has 178 protected areas nationwide, and increasing focus has been placed on species and genetic conservation programmes, which have achieved notable outcomes.

Trị called on all sectors, organisations, and individuals to take concrete actions to protect biodiversity. He underscored the need to improve policies that balance conservation with the sustainable use of natural resources, effectively implement national biodiversity strategies and plans, and prioritise ecosystem restoration and connectivity.

He also highlighted the importance of sustainable biodiversity use in advancing socio-economic development aligned with green and sustainable economic goals. This includes promoting science, technology, and digital transformation in ecosystem monitoring and restoration, and supporting national parks, conservation areas, and wildlife rescue centres in applying advanced technologies for managing and tracking rare and endangered species.

Trị urged stakeholders to develop plans, allocate adequate funding, and mobilise diverse financial resources for conservation efforts, raise public awareness, and enhance environmental education.

In his remarks, Vice Chairman of the Ninh Bình Provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Cao Sơn shared that the province has taken proactive measures to integrate biodiversity conservation into socio-economic development. Awareness of all-level Party Committees, administrations, businesses, and the public has significantly improved. Many organisations and individuals have adopted environmental protection initiatives, helping to reduce pollution and mitigate biodiversity loss.

Ninh Bình has also prioritised technology transfer and international cooperation in its conservation efforts and has incorporated biodiversity protection into local development strategies. The province has promoted eco-tourism models that combine environmental sustainability with unique visitor experiences, resulting in distinctive tourism products.

The event also featured a workshop promoting nature and biodiversity conservation for sustainable development and staged reintegration of wildlife back into the wild at the Cúc Phương National Park. — VNA/VNS