Definition
The word biodiversity is a contraction of the synonymous phrase ‘biological diversity’. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) defines it as ‘the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems’.
Convention on Biological Diversity
Status
With the current biodiversity loss, we are witnessing the greatest extinction crisis since dinosaurs disappeared from our planet 65 million years ago. Not only are these extinctions irreversible, but they also pose a serious threat to our health and wellbeing.
The rate of extinction has accelerated in the last 12 years. Nearly one-third of species that were evaluated are considered "threatened" (critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable). There is also dramatic loss in varieties within vital species. UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that 75% of crop biodiversity has been lost from the world's fields.
Challenges
Invasive species and trade
Globalization facilitates movement of alien species across the world, which can dominate over the natural local species and biodiversity as a whole. Moreover illegal trade with threatened species has expanded rapidly because of globalization.
Pollution and habitat loss
Pollution and excessive use of fertilizers leads to changes in soil and water, so that the environment can no longer support some of the species. Climate change contributes to the loss of habitat, especially where it causes desertification.
Over-exploitation
Biodiversity is further threatened by resource extraction, hunting and fishing for food, pets and medicine. For example, most 75 % of world’s fish stocks are already fished up to or beyond their sustainable limit. In agriculture, varieties with the best yields are preferred, which leads to gradual extinctions of many species of animals and crops.
Possibilities
Resilience
Biodiversity is the best hedge against epidemics and climate change, because different varieties and species are sensitive to different infections changes in the environment. From the economic point of view, this has a profound significance for agriculture and biotech industry.
Innovation
Research reveals that many threatened species have largely undocumented potential to help innovate products vital for humans. For example, the Denning bear produces a number of acids that extend the life of liver disease patients.
Key Figures
Over 19,000 species of animal and plant are now in danger of extinction, up from just over 11,000 in 2000, according to the latest "Red List of Threatened Species" from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The population of wild vertebrate species fell by an average of nearly one- third (31%) globally between
1970 and 2006, with the decline especially severe in the tropics (59%) and in freshwater ecosystems
(41%).
Transition to Globalisation
Biofuels: Implications for Land Use and Biodiversity
Features and benefits of a landscape approach to analyzing potential land-use changes associated with biofuel production using different feedstocks.
Globalisation >> Economy >> Energy >> Sources >> Renewable >> Biomass
Transition to Political Tools
Increasing Fragmentation of Landscape Threatens European Wildlife
Roads, motorways, railways, intensive agriculture and urban developments are breaking up Europe’s landscapes into ever-smaller pieces, with potentially devastating consequences for flora and fauna across the continent, according to a new joint report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).
Political Tools >> Regional >> Europe >> EU >> Dom. Policies >> Environment
Transition to Political Actors
Forests of the World
Forests of the World aims to create better conditions for nature and people alike, and therefore our projects are run in close cooperation with indigenous peoples and local communities and in coalitions with other environmental organisations. Alongside the projects a great deal of our efforts are dedicated to influencing the debate on environmental policy in Denmark.
Political Actors >> Civil Society >> NGOs >> Environment
