Underline the important role that countries in the tropics will play in achieving the SDGs.

 

The International Day of the Tropics was designated to raise awareness to the specific challenges faced by tropical areas, the far-reaching implications of the issues affecting the world’s tropical zone and the need, at all levels, to raise awareness and to underline the important role that countries in the tropics will play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The Tropics host nearly 95% of the world’s mangrove forests by area and 99% of mangrove species. The Tropics have just over half of the world’s renewable water resources (54%), yet almost half their population is considered vulnerable to water stress. Biodiversity is greater in the Tropics – however, loss of biodiversity is also greater in the Tropics than in the rest of the world.