Statement by Ms. Inger Andersen on World Migratory Bird Day 2020

The global pandemic COVID-19 has revealed just how interconnected and fragile ALL life on this planet is. Human activity has altered virtually every part of the land. As we pave over, build on, pollute and encroach on the natural world, we are destroying vital ecosystems and the biodiversity that thrives on them. 

Migratory birds circling our planet travel hundreds and thousands of miles in search of ecological security. In an interconnected world, they play a vital role in keeping nature healthy, through pollination and pest regulation, and remain a source of cultural pride for communities across the world. 

This year’s World Migratory Bird Day comes at a difficult time as billions of people around the world suffer in the “greatest lockdown” in history. But as we slowly emerge from this tragedy, knowing that the better we manage nature, the better we will manage human health, migratory birds play an important role in helping us gauge the health of our ecosystems. 

We need to continue to raise awareness about the threats they face, and the international cooperation that is vital to their continued survival because migratory birds truly connect our world and make it a better place for all of us.