In December, governments from around the world will gather at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal, Canada, to agree on a new set of goals that will guide global actions to protect and restore nature through 2030.
Biodiversity is the multitude of living things that make up life on Earth. It encompasses the 8 million or so species on the planet—from plants and animals to fungi and bacteria—and the ecosystems that house them, such as oceans, forests, mountain environments and coral reefs.
But nature is in crisis. The world is losing species at a rate 1,000 times greater than at any other time in recorded human history, and one million species are threatened with extinction.
Nature-based solutions offer ways to promote human well-being, tackle the climate crisis and protect the planet.
“Despite all our technological advances we are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy,” says Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
“Despite all our technological advances we are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy,” says Mrema.
Why is biodiversity essential for people and planet?
Biodiversity ensures we have fertile soil, as well as a variety of foods, including fruits and vegetables to eat. It is the foundation of most of our industries and livelihoods and helps regulate climate through carbon storage and regulating rainfall. It also filters air and water and mitigates the impact of natural disasters such as landslides and coastal storms.
On land, the most important ecosystems and biodiversity refuges are forests, which are home to most of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity: 80 per cent of amphibian species; 75 per cent of bird species, and 68 per cent of mammal species, according to The State of the World’s Forests.
Why is biodiversity important for human health?
“Healthy ecosystems can protect against the spread of disease: Where native biodiversity is high, the infection rate for some zoonotic diseases can be lowered,” said UN Environment Programme (UNEP) biodiversity expert Doreen Robinson.
UNEP research shows that when nature suffers, human health is also at risk. About 60 per cent of human infections are estimated to have an animal origin. Rampant development is putting animals and humans in closer contact, increasing the risk of diseases like COVID-19 spreading.
Nature is also an essential source of many drugs used in modern medicine. Plants, animals and microbes enable medical researchers to understand human physiology and treat diseases. Four billion people rely primarily on natural medicines, and about 70 per cent of cancer drugs are either natural products or synthetic ones inspired by nature. In the United States, at least 118 of the top 150 prescription drugs are based on natural sources.
How is biodiversity connected to the economy?
Biodiversity underpins economic prosperity. Roughly US$44 trillion of economic value generation—which represents more than half of global GDP— is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services.
Construction, agriculture, and food and beverages are the three largest industries that are most dependent on nature. Such industries require either the direct extraction of resources from forests and oceans or rely on ecosystem services such as healthy soils, clean water, pollination and a stable climate.
Billions of people depend on natural resources for their livelihoods, food and energy, which are vital to human well-being. Among the hundreds of millions of people living in poverty, 70 per cent are directly dependent on wild species, and one in five people globally rely on wild species for income and food.
Why is biodiversity key to tackling the climate crisis?
The climate crisis is likely to become one of the most significant drivers of biodiversity loss by the end of the century. Global warming is already impacting species and ecosystems around the globe, with coral reefs, mountains and polar ecosystems among the most vulnerable.
Healthy ecosystems will be vital to tackling this crisis. Land and oceans are natural "carbon sinks" absorbing more than half of all greenhouse gas emissions, sparing the world from even more rapid warming. Conserving and restoring natural spaces on land and in water is essential for limiting carbon emissions, providing one-third of the mitigation effort needed in the next decade.
Nature’s value in the fight against the climate crisis also lies beyond its ability to suck carbon out of the air. Forests, wetlands and other ecosystems act as buffers against extreme weather, protecting houses, crops, water supplies and vital infrastructure.
The conservation, restoration and sustainable use of nature are essential to meeting our climate goals, while full delivery of the Paris Agreement is needed to address the accelerating biodiveristy loss crisis.
From December 7-19, countries will meet in Montreal for COP15 to strike a landmark agreement to guide global actions on biodiversity. The framework will need to lay out an ambitious plan that addresses the key drivers of biodiversity loss and puts us on the path to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.
See UNEP’s COP-15 page for more information and the latest updates.
