Message from Ms. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the Occasion of the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem

教科文组织总干事伊琳娜·博科娃女士在保护红树林生态系统国际日的致辞

26 July 2016

2016年7月26日

Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. They ensure food security for local communities. They provide biomass, forest products and sustain fisheries. They contribute to the protection of coastlines. They help mitigate the effects of climate change and extreme weather events.

红树林生长在陆地与海洋的交汇处，是稀有、瑰丽、富饶的生态系统。红树林保障了当地社区粮食安全，提供了生物量和林业产品，维系了渔业发展，并且有助于保护海岸线，减轻气候变化和极端天气事件造成的影响。

This is why the protection of mangrove ecosystems is essential today. Their survival faces serious challenges – from the alarming rise of the sea level and biodiversity that is increasingly endangered. The earth and humanity simply cannot afford to lose these vital ecosystems.

正因为如此，保护红树林生态系统在今天势在必行。红树林的生存面临着严峻挑战——海平面急剧上升，生物多样性日益受到威胁。失去这些重要的生态系统，将是地球和人类难以承受之重。

UNESCO has always been on the frontline of promoting new and harmonious relations between humanity and nature, where the preservation of mangrove ecosystems carries special importance.

教科文组织一直以来积极倡导在人类与自然之间建立新的和谐关系，保护红树林生态系统在这方面具有特别重要的意义。

To this end, UNESCO is working across the board and with all partners on an open initiative on mangroves and sustainable development. UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves has 86 sites out of 669 that include areas of mangroves. Many are in developing countries and Small Island Developing States – such as La Hotte Biosphere Reserve in Haiti and the island of Principe in Sao Tome and Principe, as well as the Can Gio Mangrove in Viet Nam. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes the Sundarbans, the largest unbroken mangrove system in the World, shared between Bangladesh and India and home to the iconic Royal Bengal Tiger. The UNESCO Global Geoparks Network also has mangrove sites, like the Langkawi Global Geopark of Malaysia.

为此，教科文组织携手所有合作伙伴，正在全面推进一项关于红树林与可持续发展问题的公开倡议。教科文组织世界生物圈保护区网络涵盖669处保护区，有86处生长着红树林，其中很多位于发展中国家和小岛屿发展中国家，例如海地奥特山生物圈保护区、圣多美和普林西比的普林西比岛、以及越南芹椰红树林。列入教科文组织《世界遗产名录》的松达班是世界上最大的连片红树林系统，为孟加拉国和印度共有，著名的皇家孟加拉虎在这里繁衍生息。在教科文组织世界地质公园网络中同样可以看到红树林，例如马来西亚兰卡威世界地质公园。

On this first International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystems, UNESCO’s message is clear. Taking forward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development means forging new sustainable pathways to development in harmony with the earth. This means preserving all mangrove ecosystems.

在第一个保护红树林生态系统国际日之际，教科文组织发出的信息是明确的。推动实现《2030年可持续发展议程》，意味着在与地球和谐共存的前提下走出一条新的可持续发展之路。这就需要保护所有红树林生态系统。