Celebrate International Day of the Tropics
Today, Tuesday 29 June is the International Day of the Tropics which celebrates the extraordinary biodiversity of the tropics whilst raising awareness and highlighting the challenges and opportunities which tropical nations face. This dedicated day provides an opportunity to take stock of progress across the tropics, to share stories and expertise, and to acknowledge the diversity and potential of the region.
The tropics ecosystem
The Tropics are the region of the Earth, roughly defined as the area between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn. They account for 36% of the Earth’s landmass, including the Equator and parts of North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. This tropical region is typically warm all year round, experiencing little seasonal change in day-to-day temperatures, having two seasons: the wet season and the dry season.
An important feature of the Tropics is the prevalence of rain in the humid regions near the equator. The seasonality of rainfall increases with the distance from the equator. So, regions of the Tropics, such as the Amazon Basin, receive about 274cms of rain per year, whilst other regions, like the Sahara Desert, receive only 2 to 10cms each year. These differences in precipitation affects which flora and animals live in the different tropical regions.
The challenges faced in the tropics
Currently, about 40% of the world’s population lives within the tropical zone. It is estimated that by 2050, the tropics region will be home to most of the world’s people, with two-thirds of its children. These regions typically have higher levels of poverty, with more people experiencing undernourishment than in the rest of the world.
The tropics are important because of the number of economic exports that come from these regions. The biodiversity is also far greater in the Tropics, with its loss also being far faster than in the rest of the world, threatening many species. This loss is attributed to climate change as well as human activities such as deforestation of forests and marine ecosystems, the spread of invasive species, overexploitation of industrial fishing, urbanisation and demographic changes.
How you can join in
Normally, on this day, conservation organisations and groups for the Tropics would hold informational seminars, workshops, and presentations, but this is not possible this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So instead, the United Nations is holding a webinar – International Day of the Tropics and State of the Tropics Report Launch. Experts from around the world will be discussing the ‘digital divide’, and the impact of communication technology on our daily lives, business and education.
“More than three billion people, almost half the world’s population, are not online and most of those who are on the wrong side of the digital divide live in the tropical regions of the world. This event will launch a new State of the Tropics focus report which shines a spotlight on the extent and impact of the digital divide in the Tropics, in education, business and at home.“
You can join experts from around the world for a conversation about this digital divide in their webinar or find our more on their Facebook Page. You can also follow on Twitter at #WeAreTheTropics and #TropicsDay
Or, why not go post your favourite photos of Zambia’s amazing biodiversity on social media, and share with #InternationalDayOfTheTropics so that people from other countries can learn about our special and unique tropical biodiversity.