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Biodiversity is critically important to human health, economies and livelihoods. Humans have caused the loss of 83% of all wild animals and half of all plants. To mark the International Day for Biodiversity, here are five reasons why biodiversity matters to humans – and why we need to protect it.
There are numerous reasons why biodiversity is important, but one of the most vital is that ecosystems need it to stay alive. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, biodiversity is "essential to the existence and proper functioning of all ecosystems." Having a diverse environment gives all kinds of life the ability to better ...
There are currently 107 Amazonian species endangered by the ongoing loss of biodiversity. That includes several that are important to the pharmaceutical industry, such as the cinchona tree, the source of the malaria drug quinine. At the heart of a substantial number of key advances in drug therapies lies a continued reliance on the natural world.
So what can be done to protect these critically important biodiversity hotspots? Some places on Earth are irreplaceable – literally impossible to replicate anywhere on the planet. Uniquely rich in animal and plant life and critical to the survival of humanity, these biodiversity hotspots are frequently under threat.
Reducing emissions is an important step, but if we can make sure that marine species have healthy habitats to strive in when the temperature rises, we are offering them better chances of survival. Unfortunately, the lack of understanding of the distribution of life in the ocean is a significant barrier to restoring its biodiversity and health.
Mountains are home to over 85% of biodiversity, but they are vulnerable to the effects of the climate crisis and human intervention. Home to over 85% of amphibian, bird and mammal species, mountain habitats need to be higher up the biodiversity loss agenda, experts say.
Biodiversity underpins life as we know it, including the air that we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. Here are just three of the many reasons we should all care about biodiversity. 1.
Why is biodiversity important? Both the 2019 IPBES and 2020 WWF reports stress that the loss of habitats and species pose as much of a threat to life on Earth as climate change. For biodiversity is not only vital for a flourishing natural world.
Plants are essential for medicines. For example, 25% of drugs used in modern medicine are derived from rainforest plants. Biodiversity loss is also linked to increases in disease as humans encroach into untouched nature through deforestation and urbanization. An estimated 43% of emerging infectious diseases come from wildlife. “
Governments are recognizing the importance of biodiversity not only for conservation but also for a sustainable economic future. Brazil has just approved a law on the use of biodiversity and benefit sharing that will inform the development of a bio-economy that brings together policy, science and industry.