Which of the following years was declared by the United Nations as the "International Year of Biodiversity"? 

The correct answer is 2010.

Key Points

• The United Nations declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity to raise awareness about the critical importance of biodiversity.
• The year aimed to enhance understanding of the role of biodiversity in sustaining life on Earth and the importance of its conservation.
• Activities and events were organized globally to highlight the threats to biodiversity, including habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and overexploitation of resources.
• The declaration was part of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an international treaty aimed at the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.
• The year 2010 was also significant as it marked the end of the 2010 Biodiversity Target, which was a global commitment to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss.
• Various initiatives and campaigns were launched during this year to promote biodiversity conservation at local, national, and international levels.

 Additional Information

• 2009: The year 2009 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Astronomy.
  • This was to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first use of a telescope to study the skies.
• 2011: The year 2011 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Forests.
  • This aimed to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests.
• 2007: The year 2007 was declared by the United Nations as the International Polar Year.
  • This was a large scientific program focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic from March 2007 to March 2009.