how to prevent biodiversity loss essay

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12 Ways to Prevent Biodiversity Loss

Get news, updates, & event info delivered right to your inbox:, biodiversity loss is a leading global issue: here are 12 ways you can help prevent it.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earth at all levels, from genes to ecosystems, and all the processes that sustain life. Protecting biodiversity is critical to the survival of our planet and all living creatures on it — including humans. In fact, we guarantee that you depend on biodiversity to survive. From the oxygen we breathe to the food we eat, the natural world profoundly influences our lives.

According to The Smithsonian Institute, "recent studies estimate about eight million species on Earth, of which at least 15,000 are threatened with extinction." And unlike other mass extinction events in geological history, human activity is likely the leading cause.

The 5 main biodiversity threats include:

• Habitat loss
• Invasive species
• Overexploitation
• Climate change

Today, we’re going to focus on how you, as individual, can prevent the loss of biodiversity — in your own neighborhood  and on the other side of the planet. Together, we can help protect and preserve biodiversity.

Here Are 12 Ways You Can Help Prevent Biodiversity Loss

1. Buy Sustainable And Fairtrade Products

Purchasing sustainable and Fairtrade products is a simple yet impactful change anyone can make. Love your morning coffee? Look for the Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, or other sustainable certification. This small shift can help coffee farming families earn a decent income while ensuring that your cup of joe is grown with sustainable agroforestry methods.

2. Ditch The Lawn And Garden Chemicals

Over 60 years after Rachel Carson's Silent Spring made Americans aware of the dangers of chemical pesticides, many harmful fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides and herbicides continue to be sold. The chemicals in these products contaminate soil and water — and can poison insects, birds, fish, pets and even children. Instead of using chemical-based products, opt for natural formulas and deterrents that won’t contribute to local biodiversity loss.  

3. Plant A Tree for Biodiversity

Forest ecosystems encompass richly layered habitat types, which provide shelter to a breathtaking range of biodiversity — including 80% of amphibian species, 75% of bird species, and 68% of mammal species. Planting trees restores critical habitat for biodiversity , some of which can be found nowhere else on earth.

4. Protect Local Habitats

Trash can be detrimental to ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them. Whether you participate in a beach clean up or simply are committed to removing trash around your neighborhood each day, keeping the planet clean is a simple way to support local biodiversity. 

5. Eat local and organic whenever possible

Make an effort to visit a farmer’s market and purchase seasonal and organic produce. This saves on the emissions used to ship produce to a grocery store while also reducing pesticide usage. Adopt a more sustainable diet: swapping some meat and dairy products for plant-based protein and fats is a great way reduce your environmental impact. 

6. Create A Biodiversity Patch In Your Yard

While well-kept yards may look nice, they're unnatural habitats for the critters in your neighborhood. Section off a portion of your yard and plant native shrubs, flowers or trees to help meet the food, clean water and shelter needs of local wildlife. Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds are among the charismatic new guests you might attract! And with monarch butterflies recently being designated as endangered, this is more important than ever. 

7. Educate Youth On Biodiversity

It’s important to educate youth on the importance of the world's rich biodiversity and why we need to protect it for many generations to come. Next time you have an opportunity to teach your kids, nieces, nephews or neighbors about biodiversity, be sure to watch this video together! And if you're a teacher or homeschooler, check out our free environmental education curriculum !

8. Start Composting Kitchen Scraps

Reduce your waste and swap chemical fertilizer out for a natural fertilizer by using compost instead! Everything from fruit and vegetable scraps to egg shells, tea bags and coffee grounds can be broken down into organic matter. Adding compost to your garden will help improve soil stability and increase nutrients while helping important microorganisms and worms thrive.

9. Monitor Your Pets When They're Outside

Keep local wildlife safe by monitoring your dog or cat when they're outdoors, and consider attaching a bell to their collar. Cats and many breeds of dogs will hunt birds, frogs, squirrels and other wildlife. In fact, when researchers from the Smithsonian institute and the USFWS combined data, they found that in the US, domestic cats attack 1-4 billion birds every year, as well as 6.3-22.3 billion small mammals, birds and hundreds of millions of reptiles, vertebrate species and amphibians.

10. Volunteer Your Time

Whether you’re getting your hands dirty and planting trees or giving baby squirrels some much needed TLC, volunteering for an environmental organization or wildlife rescue is a great way to support biodiversity in your area. Bonus: giving back is also a guaranteed mood-booster! Contact your local environmental organization to learn about ways to get involved.

11. Reduce Your Carbon Emissions

If you tend to hop in a cab or drive your car down the street, try challenging yourself to cut down those emissions!

Walking, biking or rollerblading are fantastic ways to reduce your carbon footprint, improve your personal health and save on gas money. 

12. Take A Stand For The Environment

Support local initiatives that work to protect threatened habitats and improve species richness. This can mean emailing your local political representatives, attending peaceful protests, purchasing wildlife-friendly products, or advocating for the protection of endangered plants and animals.

Remember, small steps really do add up over time. Want to make more of an impact? Support reforestation to benefit iconic biodiversity around the world.

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Preventing Biodiversity Loss: Radical Solutions and New Targets

Biodiversity is declining at such a rate that we are undeniably on a path to a sixth mass extinction event .  “ The scale of threats to the biosphere and all its life forms – including humanity – is so great that it’s difficult to grasp even by experts .” Halting biodiversity loss is a burning issue as new goals under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are set to be agreed upon in Kunming, China later this year. We have so far failed to meet any of the biodiversity targets set for 2000 to 2010 and 2010 to 2020 (known as the Aichi targets ), and most of the nature-related Sustainable Development Goals are also on track for failure . The so-called post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will set out new objectives to be met by 2030, which will likely include reducing threats to biodiversity and ensuring its sustainable use . Will these so-called solutions prevent further biodiversity loss?

B etween 1970 and 2016, average species numbers declined by 68% and by as much as 94% in Latin America and the Caribbean. The major threats to biodiversity include changes in land and sea use (habitat loss), overexploitation, for example, fishing and by-catch, invasive species and disease, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity has serious implications for humans,  negatively impacting human health, livelihoods, income, migration and political conflict.  Declining biodiversity and habitat are also causing humans and wildlife to come into closer contact, increasing the likelihood that diseases carried by animals will transfer to humans. The Zika virus, a vector-borne pathogen, and the HIV virus, carried by mammalian hosts are examples of this .

New and radical solutions to protecting biodiversity and preventing loss, such as economic instruments like biocredits, legal arrangements, vastly increased funding and protected areas, as well as systemic change targeting power imbalances and economic models, are being discussed in academia, policy and industry ahead of target setting. 

One of these solutions to prevent biodiversity loss is to increase the extent of global area under protection . Currently only 15.1% of land area worldwide is protected. If this was expanded to 50%, avoiding areas with high human density, we could reduce biodiversity loss, prevent CO 2 emissions from land conversion and enhance natural carbon removal. A spatial meta-analysis found a 43% increase in cost-effective protected area coverage was achievable , although ambitious, and efforts could be hampered by a lack of international collaboration and rapid land degradation . There have been similar requests to increase protected areas, increase the restoration of terrestrial areas and to turn half of the world into a reserve for nature .

Interestingly, strengthening the rights to land and resources for indigenous communities could, in theory, help achieve biodiversity objectives on one third of the suggested protected area. Alongside affording biodiversity greater space, funding for biodiversity protection needs to increase. Some have estimated between USD$300 to $400 billion is needed every year, while the Convention on Biological Diversity estimates the Global Biodiversity Framework will cost between $103 billion and $895 billion annually, which needs to be directed to countries with the highest biodiversity levels (UN CBD Report, 2020). At present only $52 billion is made available each year. 

Biodiversity credits (Biocredits), tradable units of measurement for conservation actions and outcomes, have also been suggested as a novel approach to conservation. If designed well, they would help align our actions with outcomes for biodiversity as well as make financial investment in conservation more attractive and increase transparency in monitoring biodiversity targets. There are many challenges to their design, however, such as ensuring they are inclusive and support equitable distribution of the benefits, which can mean different things for example, redressing the past imbalance of the global South having their resources exploited by the North. Several systems have already been trialled in several places such as wildlife credits, payments for ecosystem services and carbon offsets, with varying results. The first wildlife bond , intended to increase black rhino populations, will launch this year. 

Agriculture threatens 86% of at-risk species worldwide and is the principal driver of accelerating biodiversity loss. There is overwhelming agreement that to reduce agriculture’s impact we need to shift dietary patterns to predominantly plant based diets, protect and set aside land for nature both on and off farms, and shift to more sustainable farming methods.  The good news is that if we employ sustainable farming methods to increase crop yields immediately and on a vast scale we can reverse terrestrial biodiversity loss while also meeting food needs for the global population. Sustainable intensification of farming (essentially the use of less resources and land to produce the same or greater amounts of production), reducing trade barriers in agricultural goods, reducing agricultural waste by 50%, and cutting the share of animal calories in human diets by 50% could theoretically avoid two-thirds of projected biodiversity losses . Additionally landscape-level conservation and agricultural planning must become common practice to tie these two sectors together in policy.

One possible solution to past failures to achieve biodiversity targets is to make the new targets legally binding like the Paris Agreement on climate change. This would take longer to negotiate- the Paris Agreement took around four years- and the goals would likely be less ambitious should all parties be held to account, but it is expected that this would secure greater compliance. A Global Deal for Nature has been proposed as a plan to be paired with the Paris Agreement, which calls for 30% of land to be protected for biodiversity and 20% designated for climate stabilisation. The introduction of legal obligations is thought to be highly unlikely , however, as the CBD is founded on the idea that countries have a sovereign right over the use of biodiversity. 

The scale at which we are attempting to prevent biodiversity loss does not match the scale at which the drivers operate nor the severity of the problem. We need more than individual action- we need systemic change to abandon goals of continual economic growth and properly price environmental externalities, stop using fossil fuels, strictly regulate markets including property, and reduce or regulate corporate lobbying, all of which contribute to wider sustainability issues. Our current economic and social systems promote consumption and population growth as well as globalisation, which makes it difficult to see the impact of our individual decisions as the distance between the point of production and consumption increases. The way in which we approach global problems is also flawed as we fail to collaborate and share information between different disciplines and fail to understand the complex adaptive systems these problems arise within. 

To achieve the type of systemic change needed, we must appreciate the widespread impacts of biodiversity loss. This in turn will spur governments to be more committed to reaching biodiversity targets. Communicating the scale of the threat is challenging, however, partly because the loss of habitat and biodiversity has a delayed reaction in terms of impact on societal and economic welfare, and partly because of optimism bias – we generally underestimate the severity of threats and ignore expert warnings. As such it is difficult to convince those in power of the importance of biodiversity and the devastation to humans the loss of species richness will cause. At present, halting biodiversity loss does not seem to be a priority for most of the world’s countries. Indeed, where right-wing populist leaders rule, the political agenda is often anti-environment, particularly where the environment is mistakenly pitted against the economy. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and the nationalist Forum for Democracy party in the Netherlands, for example, have both been outspoken on their rejection of climate science and climate change propaganda

There are a multitude of solutions to the biodiversity loss crisis we are facing, including strategies that also tackle inequality, climate change and food insecurity, and as such, there is cause for optimism. The question remains, however, whether new targets will utilise these approaches and prevent a significant loss of species. Will governance, historically weak in protecting biodiversity, make a serious effort to achieve targets? New targets will likely be more ambitious to match the scale of the problem but since past goals have gone unmet, it is unclear how more ambitious targets will be achieved. The failure to reach past goals has been linked to poor investment and accountability, and poor translation of the goals to national levels. The new goals and solutions must address the real drivers of habitat and biodiversity loss as well as be easily scaled to country, regional and local levels to ensure progress is made. Unfortunately they likely won’t have the scope to address the systemic drivers of biodiversity loss as governments will find it difficult to take bold steps to protect biodiversity without significant mobilisation of the population towards this goal. If we do not step up and take action now to avoid the disastrous consequences of biodiversity loss, then environmental, economic and social disaster will force us to. The good news is that we know how to save biodiversity, and ourselves. The bigger question is whether we’ll use this knowledge to make significant strides towards protecting biodiversity and, for the first time, reach global biodiversity targets.

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Biodiversity: What is it and how can we protect it?

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The UN and its global partners will grapple with the massive loss of animal and plant species and how to avoid further extinction at a major conference beginning 23 January. Here’s a primer on what exactly biodiversity is and how the UN can help support efforts to enable nature to survive and thrive.

What does 'biodiversity' mean and why is it important?

In simple terms, biodiversity refers to all types of life on Earth. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity ( CBD ) describes it as “the diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi”. These three levels work together to create life on Earth, in all its complexity.

The diversity of species keep the global ecosystem in balance, providing everything in nature that we, as humans, need to survive, including food, clean water, medicine and shelter.  Over  half of global GDP  is strongly dependent on nature. More than one billion people  rely on forests  for their livelihoods.

Biodiversity is also our strongest natural defence against  climate change . Land and ocean ecosystems act as “carbon sinks”, absorbing more than half of all carbon emissions.

Why are we talking about it now?

Because the first big push of the year to put the UN’s bold plan to protect biodiversity into practice  takes place in the Swiss capital, Bern , between 23 and 25 January. 

Introducing the conference, Patricia Kameri-Mbote, Director of the United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP ) Law Division,  warned that the lack of coordination between the various organizations trying to protect biodiversity is a “critical challenge” that needs to be urgently overcome “as we strive for a world living in harmony with nature by 2050”. A key aim of the conference will be to solve that problem by pulling together the various initiatives taking place across the world.

Is there a crisis?

Yes. It’s very serious, and it needs to be urgently tackled. 

Starting with the natural and land sea carbon sinks mentioned above. They are being degraded, with examples including the deforestation of the Amazon and the disappearance of salt marshes and mangrove swamps, which remove large amounts of carbon. The way we use the land and sea is one of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss. Since 1990, around 420 million hectares of forest have been lost through conversion to other land uses. Agricultural expansion continues to be the main driver of deforestation, forest degradation and forest biodiversity loss.

Other major drivers of species decline include overfishing and the introduction of invasive alien species (species that have entered and established themselves in the environment outside their natural habitat, causing the decline or even extinction of native species and negatively affecting ecosystems).

These activities, UNEP has shown , are pushing around a million species of plants and animals towards extinction. They range from the critically endangered South China tiger and Indonesian orangutans to supposedly “ common” animals and plants, such as giraffes and parrots as well as oak trees, cacti and seaweed.  This is the largest loss of life since the dinosaurs.  

Combined with skyrocketing levels of pollution, the degradation of the natural habitat and biodiversity loss are having serious impacts on communities around the world. As global temperatures rise, once fertile grasslands turn to desert, and in the ocean, there are hundreds of so-called “dead zones”, where scarcely any aquatic life remains.

The loss of biodiversity affects the way an ecosystem functions, leading to species being less able to respond to changes in the environment and making them increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters. If an ecosystem has a wide diversity of organisms, it is likely that they will not all be affected in the same way. For instance, if one species is killed off then a similar species can take its place. 

What is the Biodiversity Plan?

The Plan, officially called the Kunming-Montreal  Global Biodiversity Framework , is a UN-driven landmark agreement adopted by 196 countries to guide global action on nature through to 2030, which was hashed out at meetings in Kunming, China and Montreal, Canada, in 2022.

The aim is to address biodiversity loss, restore ecosystems and protect indigenous rights. Indigenous peoples  suffer disproportionately from loss of biological diversity and environmental degradation. Their lives, survival, development chances, knowledge, environment and health conditions are threatened by environmental degradation, large scale industrial activities, toxic waste, conflicts and forced migration as well as by land-use and land-cover changes such as deforestation for agriculture and extractives.

There are concrete measures to halt and reverse nature loss, including putting 30 per cent of the planet and 30 per cent of degraded ecosystems under protection by 2030. Currently 17 per cent of land and around eight per cent of marine areas are protected. The plan also contains proposals to increase financing to developing countries – a major sticking point during talks – and indigenous peoples.

Countries have to come up with national biodiversity strategies and action plans as well as set or revise national targets to match the ambition of global goals.

What else will the UN do to protect biodiversity this year?

Next month the UN Environment Assembly ( UNEA ), otherwise known as the   “World’s Environment Parliament” will meet at the UN office in Nairobi . The event   brings together governments, civil society groups, the scientific community and the private sector to highlight the most pressing issues and improve global governance of the environment. UNEA 2024 will focus on climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.

However, the main event will be the  UN Biodiversity Conference , which will take place in Colombia in October. Delegates will discuss how to restore lands and seas in a way that protects the planet and respects the rights of local communities.

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Five ways you can help stop biodiversity loss in your area – and around the world

Senior Lecturer Practitioner in Environment and Sustainability, Anglia Ruskin University

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Kate Hiseman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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Biodiversity refers to the variety of life found on Earth and underpins the natural systems which grow our food, cleanse our air and water and regulate our climate. Human life cannot exist without it. But around one million animal and plant species are now threatened by extinction.

At the recent UN biodiversity conference (COP15) in Montreal, parties agreed on a set of targets for reversing global biodiversity loss by 2030. This includes protecting 30% of the Earth’s surface and reforming subsidies for farming and fishing. Meeting these targets will require coordination between governments and businesses.

Yet the pace at which legislation and policies take effect is exceeded by the global rate of biodiversity loss. Here are some of the most effective actions you can take to help reverse biodiversity loss and restore nature now.

The total area of protected land and sea in the UK increased from 27.6 million hectares in 2017 to 40.6 million hectares in 2022. Much of this area is managed by charities, legal bodies and local authorities.

These organisations, such as the RSPB and the Wildlife Trust, restore biodiversity by creating new habitats, improving existing ones and ensuring that wild areas are connected with forested corridors and reserves to allow species to roam. For example, the Wildlife Trust has reintroduced beavers to fenland in Kent, where wet grassland habitats are now thriving as a result.

But the funds available for nature conservation in the UK are often insufficient . Individuals and businesses can donate money to support the work of these organisations.

2. Volunteer

Many charitable organisations are dependent on volunteers to undertake administration and marketing, site management or to spread the message about the biodiversity crisis. With new digital ways of working, people could volunteer from their own home at suitable times. Experience is not necessary in most cases and volunteers often benefit from on the job training.

Volunteering can also have other benefits. Research has revealed spending just two hours in nature each week can benefit health and well-being.

3. Change what you eat

No one likes being lectured about their diet. But unsustainable farming methods, the expansion of agricultural land and our meat-based western diets all threaten biodiversity.

Converting natural habitats to agricultural land has resulted in one-quarter of all remaining mammal species being threatened with extinction. Research has also shown that agricultural intensification now means that more than half of European bird species are threatened or in decline.

To reverse biodiversity loss, we must change both what we eat and how much we consume.

The UK’s National Food Strategy and the Food and Land Use Coalition’s “Better Futures Report” recommend a diet that is less reliant on meat. The Food and Land Use Commission, for example, suggest that, from 2030, a sustainable adult male diet should consist of 14g of red meat per day, 29g of chicken and other poultry, 250g of dairy products, 500g of fruits and vegetables, 50g of nuts and 75g of soya bean and other legumes.

4. Nature-friendly gardens

Urbanisation is increasingly fragmenting natural habitats and, as such, species decline is highest in cities . As cities continue to grow it will become more important to have multiple approaches for biodiversity conservation.

Our gardens, although typically not spacious enough to maintain species diversity, can be important habitats in urban environments. Working with our neighbours, we can scale up our gardens by growing networks of flowers to help insects feed and planting trees for birds to nest in. This will increase biodiversity by creating a patchwork of habitats across a whole neighbourhood. Wildlife-friendly gardens can create corridors for a wide range of species and improve connectivity, provide shelter or nesting sites, maintain genetic diversity and increase the abundance of native plants even in the smallest spaces.

A study in 2009 found that there were up to 28.7 million trees, 3.5 million ponds and at least 4.7 million bird nesting boxes in UK gardens. Nesting bird numbers can be increased if we know where trees can be planted for maximum effect. Networks of pollinating flowers across gardens could also help insects and butterflies feed.

5. Indoor cats and responsible dog owners

Cats are natural predators and allowing your pet to roam freely around the neighbourhood means it – and all the other free-roaming pet cats out there – could be responsible for the deaths of millions of animals each year. Research in Australia revealed that by allowing cats to freely roam, predation on local prey per square kilometre in residential areas is 28–52 times larger than predation rates by feral cats in natural environments. Cats have caused such devastating impacts to Australian wildlife that cat predation is listed as a key threat to native wildlife within national legislation .

In the UK, cat ownership in the UK has increased by 13% on average each year over the past 40 years so that roughly 90% of the UK’s cats are now pets. This has correspondingly increased the threat to our native wildlife.

There are several ways we can reduce the impact of pet cats on biodiversity. Keeping a cat well fed reduces their need to hunt. Another option is to keep them indoors for parts of the day, during the night or entirely. The impact of pet cats on Australian wildlife has grown so severe that local authorities have introduced bylaws and curfews to contain cat predation.

Cats predominantly threaten biodiversity in urban areas. Yet the interaction between dogs and wildlife occurs more frequently in rural situations.

The issue here arises primarily as a result of predation and disease transmission . But dog faeces and urine fertilise soils with nutrients and can change the type of plants that grow in an area. This carries knock-on effects on a habitat’s structure. By picking up dog faeces and correctly disposing of it, dog owners can reduce the input of nitrogen to the soil by 57% and phosphorus by 97%.

The best antidote to despair about the state of the natural world is to immerse yourself in it. Give these steps a try and you should hopefully discover more ways to not only lessen your footprint, but enjoy a more vibrant local environment.

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What You Can Do to Protect Biodiversity

Biodiversity —the variety of all living organisms including ecosystems, plants, animals, their habitats and genes—is fundamental to life on Earth. We need biodiversity for its invaluable ecosystem services, providing oxygen, food, clean water, fertile soil, medicines, shelter, protection from storms and floods, a stable climate and recreation. Tragically, today biodiversity is disappearing at 1,000 times the normal rate due to human civilization. Individual species are being obliterated by habitat loss and degradation, invasive species, the spread of pollution and disease, climate change and the over exploitation of resources. And because the human population, which has doubled since 1970, is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, the biodiversity crisis will only get worse as more people consume more resources.

What can we as individuals do to help slow the loss of biodiversity?  Since consumption of resources is a root cause of biodiversity loss, we can consume less and be more mindful about what we consume. We need to leverage our purchasing power to help protect biodiversity by consuming products that do not harm the environment. Ecolabels enable consumers to determine which products are green, safe, and environmentally sustainable. But because so many ecolabels have sprung up—in 2010, there were 400 different sustainability certifications available around the world—they can be confusing. Here are some of the most reliable and respected ecolabels to look for.

Green Seal – Established in 1989, Green Seal boasts one of the first environmental certification programs. It uses lifecycle based sustainability standards to certify products, services, and companies that protect the environment and human health. All significant environmental and social impacts are considered, from raw materials extraction through manufacturing to use and disposal. Certified products include cleansers, construction materials, paints, paper, paper towels and tissue, food packaging, and hand soaps. Cleaning services, restaurants and hotels are also certified.

Forest Stewardship Council – The FSC promotes the sustainable management of the world’s forests by ensuring that the harvest of forests for timber and non-timber products maintains a forest’s biodiversity, productivity, and ecological processes, and by respecting the rights of and providing incentives to indigenous people to sustain forest resources. In addition to prohibiting the destruction of natural forests, the FSC safeguards endangered species, and bans toxic pesticides and the planting of genetically modified trees. FSC certified products include lumber, paper, printing, packaging, furniture, and other products made from wood.

LEED – The U.S. Green Building Council provides LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for buildings or communities designed and built with environmentally sensitive siting, energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, sustainable materials, improved indoor environmental quality, innovative technology and strategies, and stewardship of resources. It looks at the building lifecycle from design and construction to operations and maintenance, and substantial retrofits. LEED certification applies to commercial real estate, residential homes, schools and hospitals, and even the design or retrofit of neighborhoods.

Certified Wildlife Friendly – The Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network promotes wildlife conservation through certifying products that are linked to conservation actions, and that benefit and involve local individuals and communities living with wildlife. Certified products include alpaca garments, essential oils, chili products, rice, eco-fashion, a community market organization, and a conservation program that helps control bushmeat poaching. Each certified entity is tied to conservation efforts for particular species.

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Good article! The Energy Star labeling system is a very good system of identifying household products that are the most energy efficient. It is a shame that these products are tageted by their manufacturers to give them maximum profit margin, which is clearly putting potential customers off from buying them and this results in customers not gaining anything on a supposed return on investment, even after a lengthy time. Kind regards !

Great article! Yes, there are many things we can do to preserve biodiversity and help our planet. One great way is by finding ways to reduce the energy used to heat and cool our homes.

I never really paid much attention to the labels or the variety of the labels. I do have a sadden heart regarding the Rain Forest. I breaks my heart to hear how much de-forestation takes place everyday. I just wish there was some other way to encourage people not to do this.

I know there are a lot of organizations like the Rainforest Alliance that are doing all they can to help. We just need people to stay engaged and remain proactive when it comes to this wonderful natural resource that is so important to our planet.

Thank you for posting this article. I am sure this will benefit many of your readers as much as it has me.

In my area, people still using plastic bags and non-recycle products. If we can’t educate them to reuse and recycle, we still consume more and more resources. Hope they will realized before the global warming become serious.

in my area we are planting fruit

Environmental pollution is growing year by year and we are responsible for this. So that, it our duty to control the pollution. We have concern about reuse and recycling of the waste products. We should use Eco friendly and recyclable product.

God work, it heiped me alot in my exams. Big up

I think education is at the top with anything like this. People aren’t aware of what biodiversity does to for us, so they just assume it’s a word BUT through effective campaigns via social media the younger generations will engage and they’ll learn far more too about what needs to be done to protect it!

The first thing we must do is do educate our kids and talk to our friends about this problem. We can start using eco friendly cleaning products, food that is from natural farm. Choose the products that are not made with chimicals and other toxic mix for environment.

Biodiversity plays a major role in our lives , but mostly in the lives of rural area,settlers without biodiversity the results are high poverty rate, and dependency, thus it is important for every individual to contribute to help maintain and sustain our biodiversity.

What can be done to mitigate Light glare and light trespass that is expanding with newer infill and development? Nocturnal animals are challenged by thoughtless individuals and developers…..

I have seen a lot of people in most rural areas wherein I thought they are the ones who preserve the environment better than the ones who live in the Urban.Nevertheless, people in the rural places had been burning lots of plastics in a pit and no one could implement a rule stating how dangerous it could affect in our nature.I am determined to help and encourage these people that instead of burning their trashes there are lots of ways to recycle it and use it for the better and a way to protect our biodiversity.

thats good for the enviroment

i can do to protect our biodiversity by being a good and responsible person. I thought in the rural areas they are the ones who takes care the environment than the people in the urban areas. They are burning garbages such as plastics that can affect our ozone layer. If i were them instead of burning wastes, i will think of recycling it to become more useful. And it can be a money for them. I will encourage them that instead of burning it and leave it behind, there is a lot of ways to become more useful like recycle them. And use it for the best and it can be one of the things on how we can protect our biodiversity.

plz share dos and donts to conserve biodiversity

To protect our biodiversity is to conserve natural resources. Like the urban areas they are the one who take care of their environment. While the rural areas are not taking care of their environment. They burn plastics and they dont recycle garbages. Instead of that doing that we need to consume electricity and recycle garbages so that we can help protect biodiversity. We must use products that can not harm the environment.

Also,a stable committee should be set-up that will check some of this companies that are in charge of the things concerning biodiversity. Inorder for them not to use chemicals that are harmful to the environment and contributing to the destruction of biodiversity.

Nice post! It’s really important to teach kids how to care for the environment. We should build up some idea on how both parents and educators can teach kids in a fun way.

i love that you are helping other kids learn about our environment.

if we get rid of to meany forest the animals will die because they have no where to live

if we took over the world how much would animals live in this world

well us for one because we are mammals which are animals

Since there is a rapid growth in the human population. We will just keep on destroying habitats and than there wouldn’t be much biodiversity left.

THE FORESTS ARE GETTING DESTROYED

Yes I agree it’s a good one but I want to know how can technological tools help to prevent or reduce the identified loss of biodiversity?

I agree that there needs to be something do to help our communities and the world not loos biodiversity. I also think that teaching are youth about ways they harm biodiversity and nature is very important.

I pledge to recycle, reuse and make better choices!!

we need more biodiversity because it is the keystone to the planets well being .

We all play a part in protecting biodiversity. Even the little thing can go a long way.

i agree to make the world a better place by recycling

We should stop destroying thousands of species by building apartments in nature. We should stop using unhealthy gas.

The Energy Star labeling system is a very good system of identifying household products that are the most energy efficient. It is a shame that these products are tageted by their manufacturers to give them maximum profit margin, which is clearly putting potential customers off from buying them and this results in customers not gaining anything on a supposed return on investment, even after a lengthy time. Kind regards !

That was a great article! People should start using more recyclable items because all of that trash is sent to the bottom of the ocean.

It is amazing how ecolabels are invented. Before, I didn’t really pay attention to those ecolabels since I didn’t know what are those for. But after reading the article, I realized that it is to protect and maintain our biodiversity. It is really important that we preserve our biodiversity because it is what gives us life. Without it, we won’t be able to live and have these materials that we need to survive.

Well written article!! I really enjoyed the paragraph on rainforest alliance. It saddens me very much that deforestation is such a big and recurring problem. I think we used only used recycled things. Get rid of plastic, and go all recycled paper. I al so think we should stop using trees for paper, and wood products. Dead trees are fine but some people use trees that are alive for their wood, and that needs to stop. They want to take down whole forests of trees, but dont want to take the time to grow one.

I try to not used a lot of technology and used of energy consumption as well as water consumption. Maybe one day when I grow I will make a team that assembles and help protect animals habitat

I love how you mentioned that a great way to conserve biodiversity is to consume less natural resources. I think that it would also be beneficial to invest in a service that’s main focus is to help improve biodiversity in landscapes. Thank you so much for your article about biodiversity, Renee.

1.I can plant more tress

2.Tell others around me why it is important so they will do the same and or help

3.I will give water to the trees

4. I will clean up the surroundings

5.Stop puting pollution and gas everywhere

Our biodiversity is very important and it’s a good thing this blog gives us informative articles. Especially on how we can preserve it. Another great thing about this is we gather information and can be spread by many. This blog is one of the great ways I see to conserve our biodiversity. Lastly, it helps to call out others to be aware about what is happening in our biodiversity.

well structured and thought through the post, I believe, this will serve as a great guide to many in identifying with the support for biodiversity conservation.

I love the artical saying that people realize that we are hurting biodiversity and doing something about it

This an great article to read! I think biodiversity is important because it shows us how we are ruining the land for animals and plants if we could stop knocking down trees and ruining plants and animals homes maybe so many animals wouldn’t be going extinct.

great in bringing a incite to how we can better our foods. i shall try not to pollute any grounds at any costs.

Don’t just go on to leave a thumbs down life is beautiful if we did not have it we would not be here so appropriate your surroundings.

living organisms including ecosystem plant animals thier habitats and genes is fundamental to life and earth we need biodeversity

I`ve always been connected to the biodiversity and nature and I understand the affects of human to earth but as us people we could keep our biodiversity by doing stuff that might help because biodiversity helps us in ways that we need to survive and we should help them too.

This article is very informative. It has really showed that there are many things that help to try to preserve our planet.

great article

it contains a lot of information!

I agree to feed the animal with organic foods.

The Marine Stewardship council is a good organisation because its stopping fish species from dieing out by making a limit to fishing its will help fish and coral reefs from bottom fishing.

Great article

the way we can make a change is by not taking up homes of animals and polluting earth

Good article i love how the author gave multiple points and you backed it up with stats and i agree that we should be more involved in trying to help our planet

Interesting article! One way humans have affected biodiversity is by their population and by the use of land.

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Conservation of Biodiversity Essay for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Conservation of Biodiversity Essay: Mother earth is the home for various species and a place where they can coexist.  The term biodiversity is a combination of two words – biological and diversity.   It means diverse living organisms simultaneously sustain themselves in an ecosystem.  The ecosystem encompasses various communities of creatures, including forests, coral reefs, wildlife, microbes, etc.  A surprising number of 8.7 million species inhabit the planet earth.

The existence of biodiversity is an essential element of the planet earth.  Every organism is interdependent and interconnected with one another.  Everything on this planet is in an intricate web.  However, human’s exploitation of the resources is threatening the ecological balance of biodiversity.  Thus, it becomes essential to conserve and support all the species.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Conservation of Biodiversity for Children and Kids in English

Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ in both long and short form. The first essay of 400 to 500 words on ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ is for students of class 7, 8, 9, and 10.  Moreover, it is helpful for the aspirants of competitive exams. Furthermore, 150 – 200 word’s essay on ‘Conservation of Biodiversity ‘will help students and children in class 6 or below.

Long ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ Essay in English for classes 7, 8, 9, and 10 and Competitive Exam Aspirants. Below we have given a long essay on ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ of 400 to 500 words. The article on the ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ topic is best for students of 7 to 10.  Furthermore, competitive exam preparation will become easy if students refer to this article.

Long Conservation of Biodiversity Essay 500 words in English

Biodiversity is an amalgamation of two words – biological and diversity.  Therefore, the definition of the term ‘biodiversity’ encompasses a large variety of living organisms coexisting in an ecosystem.  Biodiversity ranges from the tiniest microbes to the largest mammal.  It also includes several species of bacteria, plants, animals, and humans.  The recent study discovered 8.7 million different species worldwide, out of which a normal man recognizes only 1.2 million species.

However, the existing biodiversity is at risk.  Both natural and human-activities are contributing to degrading the ecosystem. The changing climate and infestation of alien species are threatening the current biodiversity. Furthermore, in the pursuit of modernization, urbanization, and aggressive ambitions, humans are exploiting the natural habitat.  Several factors, such as habitat fragmentation, atmospheric pollution, over-consumption of the natural resources by the humans, etc. are putting additional pressure on the planet.

Over one million species are on the verge of extinction. Humans have altered the environment in the quest to dominate the planet.  Thus, the vast wealth of the earth is gradually vanishing.  There are such thirty or more spots on the planet where several species are under the threat of extinction.  Scientists have termed these regions as biodiversity hotspots.   These biodiversity hotspots are home to 60% of different kinds of species.

The need of the hour is to participate in conserving biodiversity.  Another word for conservation is caring for the environment.  The first step to prevent dwindling biodiversity is to protect the plants and animals in their natural habitat.

It would be possible to create a safe habitat for various species by putting an end to the fragmentation of land for selfish purposes.  Several species are sensitive to pollution.  For instance, salmons can only thrive in freshwater.  The concentration of toxic chemicals in the stream may lead to a declining population of salmons.  Furthermore, the burning of fossil fuels gives rise to carbon dioxide emission, which is harmful to some species.   A large number of species become homeless as a result of deforestation.  Moreover, deforestation also leads to climate change. It harms migrating species.

Native plants and animals survive when they interact with the environment freely.  It would be best not to disturb them in their natural habitat.  Thus, humans need to take responsibility for their actions, and consciously stop polluting the environment.

The government is preserving biodiversity by restoring the natural habitat and assigning protected areas.  Furthermore, an initiative to safeguard the forest-dwelling animals, the government is prohibiting wildlife trading and poaching.  The government will take further actions to mainstream biodiversity conservation.  The government is working towards capping fisheries, mining, farming, concrete construction in green zone areas, etc. enabling multiple species to interact and interconnect freely.

Short Essay on Conservation of Biodiversity 200 words in English

Short Conservation of Biodiversity Essay in English for Classes 6 and Below

Below we have given a short essay on ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ of 150 to 200 words. This short piece on the topic ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ is perfect for all students of grade 6 and below. Biodiversity consists of all living organisms on the earth.  It includes a variety of life forms, from plants, animals, bacteria, to fungi.  However, in today’s time, the earth is losing  flora and fauna as well as genetic diversity.

Owing to the dominating human species, several other species of plants and animals are becoming extinct at an alarming rate.  Pollution, deforestation, global warming, over-exploitation of the ecosystem, and impulsive hunting of animals diminish the earth’s natural biodiversity.

Human beings are the greatest threat to biodiversity.  Scientists have identified more than thirty regions in the world as global biodiversity hotspots.  On the one hand, these areas have abundant resources.  On the other hand, these are high-risk areas of endangered species. In ecosystems, every creature is interdependent and interconnected.  Elimination of a single species can disrupt the entire food chain.

In the quest to conserve biodiversity, it is compelling to reduce carbon footprints.  Afforestation, reusing, recycling, and reducing waste can contribute to protecting biodiversity from further harm.  The creation of wildlife sanctuary and biodiversity reserves can aid in the natural restoration of biodiversity. Thus, for the survival of every species, including humans, we must conserve biodiversity.  We should set an example to inspire the next generation to follow the same path.

10 lines on Conservation of Biodiversity Essay in English

Students who are preparing for competitive examinations or entrance examinations can use this piece on ‘Conservation of Biodiversity’ for reference.  Moreover, children can take note of these points to help them deliver a speech on the stage.   Children who are planning to participate in literary work or debate competition can also find it very useful.

• Biodiversity is a mixture of several species of plants, animals, and microbial organisms coexisting on the planet earth.
• The recent study reveals the existence of 8.7 million different species worldwide.
• Human activities worldwide are threatening biodiversity.
• Deforestation, burning of fossil fuels, an infestation of alien species, climate change, fragmentation of habitat are some of the reasons behind dwindling biodiversity.
• Scientists have identified more than thirty regions in the world as biodiversity hotspots.
• We should participate in conserving biodiversity.
• We should not disturb the native plants and animals so they can live freely in their natural habitat.
• Land fragmentation and deforestation is making several species homeless.
• The government made law to preserve biodiversity and create wildlife sanctuaries.
• Humans also need to take responsibility for their actions, and consciously stop polluting the environment.

FAQ’s on Conservation of Biodiversity Essay

Question 1. Which factor is responsible for dwindling biodiversity?

Answer: Humans are responsible for dwindling biodiversity.

Question 2. What is the figure of different species that inhabit the planet earth?

Answer: Approximately 8.7 million different species inhabit the planet earth.

Question 3. What do you mean by biodiversity hotspots, and how many are there currently?

Answer: Biodiversity hotspots are biological-rich regions around the world that are threatened by the loss of inhabitants. Currently, there are over 30 biodiversity hotspots that the world recognizes.

Question 4. How can an ordinary person conserve biodiversity?

Answer: It is essential to cut down on exploiting the earth’s resources.  Humans should restrict their activities that are harming the natural environment.  We should make a collective effort to stabilize various species around the world.

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Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss

Goal 15 is about conserving life on land. It is to protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and stop biodiversity loss.

Earth’s ecosystems are vital for sustaining human life, they contribute to over half of global GDP and encompass diverse cultural, spiritual, and economic values.

However, the world is facing a triple crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

Between 2015 and 2019, at least 100 million hectares of healthy and productive land were degraded every year, impacting the lives of 1.3 billion people.

Agricultural expansion is the direct driver of almost 90 per cent of deforestation. This is in direct relation to our food systems, and oil palm harvesting accounted for 7 per cent of global deforestation from 2000 to 2018.

Global and regional efforts to sustain forest ecosystems as well as their social, economic and environmental functions are essential, in particular for developing countries and the tropics.

We need to shift humanity’s relationship with nature to achieve Goal 15, and realise that nature is the root of our life of earth. The recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides renewed impetus for Goal 15, outlining four outcome- oriented goals to be achieved by 2050 and 23 targets to be achieved by 2030.

Why should we care?

Forests cover nearly 31 per cent of the world and are home to more than 80 per cent of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects. However, biodiversity is declining faster than at any other time in human history.

Globally, one fifth of the Earth’s land area are degraded, an area nearly the size of India and the Russian Federation combined. Land degradation drive species to extinction and intensifies climate change, biodiversity and the ecosystem services it underpins can also be the basis for climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies as they can deliver benefits that will increase the resilience of people.

What does loss of forests mean?

Lost forests mean the disappearance of livelihoods in rural communities, increased carbon emissions, diminished biodiversity and the degradation of land. While forest loss remains high, 2020 data show that the proportion of forests in protected areas and under long-term management plans increased or remained stable at the global level and in most regions of the world.

An irreversible effect of human activity on the environment is species extinction, which upsets the balance of nature and makes ecosystems more fragile and less resistant to disruptions. A recent UN report on biodiversity found that around 1 million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades, more than ever before in human history.

How does it affect our health?

Increased demand for animal protein, a rise in intense and unsustainable farming, the increased use and exploitation of wildlife, and the climate crisis are all driving the increased emergence of zoonotic diseases – diseases transmitted from wildlife to people – like COVID-19.

Every year, some two million people, mostly in low and middle-income countries, die from neglected zoonotic diseases. The same outbreaks can cause severe illness, deaths, and productivity losses among livestock populations in the developing world, a major problem that keeps hundreds of millions of small-scale farmers in severe poverty. In the last two decades alone, zoonotic diseases have caused economic losses of more than $100 billion, not including the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What can we do?

Some things we can do to help include recycling, eating a locally-based diet that is sustainably sourced, and consuming only what we need.

We must be respectful toward wildlife and only take part in ecotourism opportunities that are responsibly and ethically run in order to prevent wildlife disturbance. Well-managed protected areas support healthy ecosystems, which in turn keep people healthy. It is therefor critical to secure the involvement of the local communities in the development and management of these protected areas.

Facts and figures

Goal 15 targets.

• Terrestrial ecosystems are vital for sustaining human life, contributing to over half of global GDP and encompassing diverse cultural, spiritual, and economic values.
• However, the world faces a triple crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Escalating trends of forest loss, land degradation and the extinction of species pose a severe threat to both the planet and people.
• Despite some progress in sustainable forest management, protected areas, and the uptake of national biodiversity values and natural capital accounting, most improvements have been modest. The recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework provides renewed impetus for Goal 15, outlining four outcome-oriented goals to be achieved by 2050 and 23 targets to be achieved by 2030.

Source: The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023

15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements

15.2 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

15.3 By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world

15.4 By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development

15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species

15.6 Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed

15.7 Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products

15.8 By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species

15.9 By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts

15.A Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems

15.B Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation

15.C Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities

Convention on Biological Diversity

FAO – Forestry

The New York Declaration on Forests

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification

International Maritime Organization

International Union for Conservation of Nature

Fast Facts: Life on Land

Infographic: Life on Land

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May 22, 2023

One Planet, Two Crises: Tackling Climate Change and Biodiversity in the Fight for Our Future

World Biodiversity Day reminds us that the profound crises we confront are just different sides of the same coin

By Katharine Hayhoe

Farmland serves as a bulwark against desertification in India.

Antonio Ciufo/Getty Images

When you hear the word nature, what comes to mind? For me, it’s the lakes of Southern Ontario, where I spent my childhood summers among its pink and gray granite rocks and shadowed pine forests. I picture the rock bass darting through the sunbeams in the water and hear the cicadas humming in the trees.

I grew up in the 1970s, and even then, nature was far from untouched. Acid rain and water pollution were already making headlines. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring had raised the alarm in 1962. Seven years later, the Cuyahoga River was ablaze for the 12th time . By 1970, the U.S. Clean Air Act was signed.

I still saw these issues as somehow separate from our ordinary lives, though. They were concerns for and on behalf of fish, plants or bees, I thought, not us. I took for granted clean air, abundant water and ample food, and a home unthreatened by fire or flood.

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Fast forward to today, and those early alarms have become a deafening siren. While air pollution in the U.S. has declined , its impacts worldwide have skyrocketed. Today, more than one in every six deaths globally is caused by the pollution of our air, water, and soil.

Then there’s climate change: an invisible but devastating force that’s wreaking havoc on a planetary scale. The industrial revolution ignited our unhealthy dependence on fossil fuels; but what we often don’t realize is that nearly 80 percent of the CO 2 emissions from burning coal, gas and oil, and close to 60 percent of all heat-trapping gas emissions, have been released since 1970 . Choices made within my own lifetime are the main reason temperatures are now rising at an unprecedented rate , loading the weather dice against us . Every day now, we witness the impacts : record-breaking heat waves stressing power grids and health systems, supersized cyclones ravaging cities and refugee camps, wildfire smoke suffocating continents, and floods displacing millions.

The urgency and the injustice of the climate crisis compelled me to become an atmospheric scientist. I’m convinced it's the most immediate threat to our civilization and many of the countless species with whom we share this planet. But closely trailing climate change is another equally menacing crisis: the loss of biodiversity, which threatens all life on Earth.

The biodiversity crisis isn’t new, either. Over the last four centuries, humans have driven at least 680 mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and fish species into extinction; but as with climate change, the rate of impact has escalated. Since 1970, WWF has documented a near 70 percent decline in populations of existing wildlife species; and across the more than eight million animal and plant species on earth, the human-induced extinction rate is estimated at tens to hundreds of times greater than natural rates. With so many species still undiscovered, these numbers vary widely ; enough is known about the impacts of human activities on biodiversity, though, for  ecologists to label the era we’re currently in as the “sixth extinction.”

All too often, though, many of us still think and act as I did when I was young: mistakenly assuming that, were our planet’s ecosystems to collapse, we could miraculously persist without the air, water, and essential resources they provide. This perspective endangers us all. Climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss have escalated to crisis levels that threaten not just flora and fauna, but humanity itself. It’s our collective survival that’s at risk.

Our ultimate goal is not merely to fix these crises, but to ensure a better future: for ourselves, for our children and for everyone and everything we love here on this Earth. However, this better future can only be reached by overcoming our self-made crises. Our ecosystems are, quite literally, our life-support systems. Without them, we cannot ensure stable global food systems and economies, let alone provide clean air and unpolluted water for the eight billion people who inhabit this planet. Our well-being and that of all life on Earth are fundamentally entwined.

Unlike other species, however, we have a choice. We can see what’s happening; we know we’re responsible; and we can still prevent catastrophe. But we don’t have much time. We can’t afford to tackle these crises with piecemeal solutions. We need comprehensive, multipronged strategies, everything from clean energy to educating women in low-income nations, that address climate, pollution, biodiversity—and health, poverty and other inequities—and we need them now .

The stakes are high: in the 2015 Paris Agreement , the world agreed to limit warming to “well below” 2 degrees Celsius, a threshold now set at 1.5 degrees C after scientists quantified the risks of additional warming. More recently, in December 2022, countries agreed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework . It addresses the main drivers of biodiversity loss and calls for the protection of 30 percent of land, ocean and freshwaters by 2030.

Policies implemented since the Paris Agreement have already reduced projected warming by end of century from about 4.5 degrees C to 2.8 degrees C . That’s a lot: but it’s still not enough. For these audacious plans to succeed, there cannot be any new fossil fuel development. Greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced and eventually eliminated through efficiency, improved land use and agricultural practices, and the clean energy transition. We must invest in nature, which has the potential to absorb up to a third of our carbon emissions. And we need countries to write and implement their own national biodiversity action plans, and funding to flow to climate mitigation, climate resilience and biodiversity in low-income countries and key conservation areas around the world, particularly those most vulnerable and most representative of the world’s ecosystems.

Nature offers a powerful ally in combating the catastrophic effects of human-induced climate change and ecosystem disruption, and the path to a net-zero, nature-positive world isn’t uncharted. The latest IPCC report shows how so many of the solutions to climate change are already here, from halting deforestation to accelerating electrification. Organizations like the Nature Conservancy and Project Drawdown offer resources like the Biodiversity Action Guide and the Drawdown Roadmap , illustrating how we can get started on actions that tackle multiple crises at once.

Implementing effective, nature-positive solutions is crucial to our fight against climate change. Greening low-income neighborhoods in large urban centres keeps them cool during heat waves, reducing socioeconomic inequities in health risks. But this action also filters pollution from the air; and absorbs rainfall to prevent floods, making the neighborhoods more climate-resilient. It provides places for people to be in nature, improving both our physical and mental health; it increases habitats for biodiversity; and it even takes up carbon. That’s at least six wins. Other solutions, from investing in public transportation to climate-smart agriculture, carry similar benefits for health and well-being, as well as pollution, biodiversity and climate.

Tackling the pollution, climate and biodiversity crises that stand between us and a better future is the biggest and most complex challenge we’ve ever faced. It demands an equally ambitious response from all of us: from the largest countries and companies in the world to each of us as individuals who can raise our voices to advocate for the changes we need.

Events such as Earth Day in April and World Biodiversity Day in May serve as potent reminders that the crises we confront are just different sides of the same coin. That’s why I constantly strive to reach beyond the artificial silos we impose on ourselves and others and focus on the end goal: saving ourselves and all others who share our home. Our future is in our hands, and together, I know, we can turn the tide.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of  Scientific American.

Yale Sustainability

6 ways to preserve biodiversity.

Support local farms.

Save the bees , plant local flowers, fruits and vegetables., take shorter showers, respect local habitats., know the source.

Essay on Biodiversity for Students and Children

500+ words essay on biodiversity.

Essay on Biodiversity – Biodiversity is the presence of different species of plants and animals on the earth. Moreover, it is also called biological diversity as it is related to the variety of species of flora and fauna. Biodiversity plays a major role in maintaining the balance of the earth.

Furthermore, everything depends upon the biological diversity of different plants and animals. But due to some reasons, biodiversity is decreasing day by day. If it does not stop then our earth could no longer be a place to live in. Therefore different measures help in increasing the biodiversity of the earth.

Methods to Increase Biodiversity

Building wildlife corridors- This means to build connections between wildlife spaces. In other words, many animals are incapable to cross huge barriers. Therefore they are no able to migrate the barrier and breed. So different engineering techniques can make wildlife corridors. Also, help animals to move from one place to the other.

Set up gardens- Setting up gardens in the houses is the easiest way to increase biodiversity. You can grow different types of plants and animals in the yard or even in the balcony. Further, this would help in increasing the amount of fresh air in the house.

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Protected areas- protected areas like wildlife sanctuaries and zoo conserve biodiversity. For instance, they maintain the natural habitat of plants and animals. Furthermore, these places are away from any human civilization. Therefore the ecosystem is well maintained which makes it a perfect breeding ground for flora and fauna. In our country, their various wildlife sanctuaries are build that is today spread over a vast area. Moreover, these areas are the only reason some of the animal species are not getting extinct. Therefore the protected areas should increase all over the globe.

Re-wilding – Re-wilding is necessary to avert the damage that has been taking place over centuries. Furthermore, the meaning of re-wilding is introducing the endangered species in the areas where it is extinct. Over the past years, by various human activities like hunting and cutting down of trees the biodiversity is in danger. So we must take the necessary steps to conserve our wildlife and different species of plants.

Importance of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is extremely important to maintain the ecological system. Most Noteworthy many species of plants and animals are dependent on each other.

Therefore if one of them gets extinct, the others will start getting endangered too. Moreover, it is important for humans too because our survival depends on plants and animals. For instance, the human needs food to survive which we get from plants. If the earth does not give us a favorable environment then we cannot grow any crops. As a result, it will no longer be possible for us to sustain on this planet.

Biodiversity in flora and fauna is the need of the hour. Therefore we should take various countermeasures to stop the reduction of endangering of species. Furthermore, pollution from vehicles should decrease. So that animals can get fresh air to breathe. Moreover, it will also decrease global warming which is the major cause of the extinction of the species.

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How do humans affect biodiversity?

Humanity impacts the planet's biodiversity in multiple ways, both deliberate and accidental. The biggest threat to biodiversity to date has been the way humans have reshaped natural habitats to make way for farmland, or to obtain natural resources, but as climate change worsens it will have a growing impact on ecosystems.

The main direct cause of biodiversity loss is land use change (primarily for large-scale food production) which drives an estimated 30% of biodiversity decline globally. Second is overexploitation (overfishing, overhunting and overharvesting) for things like food, medicines and timber which drives around 20%. Climate change is the third most significant direct driver of biodiversity loss, which together with pollution accounts for 14%. Invasive alien species account for 11%. 

Some models predict that climate change will become the primary cause of biodiversity decline in the coming decades. The impact of all the main drivers of biodiversity loss is accelerating and, as a consequence, so is the pace of biodiversity decline.

Growing demand for natural resources due to the increasing human population, more rapidly increasing per capita consumption and changing consumption patterns has meant that ever more natural habitat is being used for agriculture, mining, industrial infrastructure and urban areas.

Key areas of human activity causing biodiversity loss include:

• Deforestation. Tropical rainforests are particularly rich in biodiversity and are being destroyed
• Habitat loss through pervasive, incremental encroachment such as that caused by urban sprawl
• Pollution such as that associated with widespread pesticide use and overuse of fertiliser which are 6 and 12 times greater than they were before 1961 respectively
• It is estimated that half of the species at risk are threatened by agriculture
• Water use in some of the largest water catchments in the world where dams and irrigation reduce water flows
• Hunting and the over-exploitation of species such as in wild capture fisheries but also for wildlife trade
• Spread of invasive species and diseases through trade and travel 
• Climate change, as warming and changing rainfall patterns alters species ranges and the underlying water and chemical cycles which define current ecosystems 
• Pollution from plastic waste although its long-term effects on biodiversity are far from clear

For more on this issue visit: Amazonia’s future: Eden or degraded landscapes? | Royal Society ; Preserving global biodiversity requires rapid agricultural improvements | Royal Society ; and Past and future decline and extinction of species | Royal Society

Climate change and biodiversity

Human activities are changing the climate. Science can help us understand what we are doing to habitats and the climate, but also find solutions.

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No oncologist would wait for a patient’s cancer to spread before treating it. Similarly, waiting to detect the potential loss of a species across all its known habitats means interventions are often too late to turn the tide of extinction, according to ecologists Paul Ehrlich and Rodolfo Dirzo of Stanford University and Gerardo Ceballos of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Their new book, Before They Vanish: Saving Nature’s Populations – and Ourselves , calls for earlier detection and mitigation of threats to ward off population extinction – the loss of plants, animals, fungi, or microbes within specific geographic areas. The approach provides a greater chance at stopping the spread of species loss, according to the authors.

Drawing on decades of research and experience, the authors explain how humanity is pushing countless species to the brink of extinction, with devastating consequences for ecosystems and human civilization. They highlight how conservationists have tended to focus on saving iconic animals, such as tigers and eagles, on the brink of extinction – primarily for ethical and aesthetic reasons. It is only relatively recently that biodiversity’s crucial role in supporting human life has been appreciated by the scientific community, according to the authors. The book serves as both a diagnosis and a plea for action, outlining solutions to avert a global ecological catastrophe.

Below, Ehrlich, Dirzo, and Ceballos discuss their new book, their decades in the field, and their hope for the future.

What are some of the cascading effects of population extinctions – the loss of a species in a specific geographic location – that may not be immediately obvious to the public?

Rodolfo Dirzo: Look at the combined impact of deforestation, poaching, and hunting on the populations of elephants, giraffes, and other large herbivores in African savannas. The local loss or decline of these vertebrates’ populations not only leads to the decline of prey for carnivores but triggers major vegetation changes – more grass and shrubs. These changes in turn create a perfect storm for small mammal populations, particularly rodents, to thrive. Many of these are host to zoonotic disease agents that could spark outbreaks among people.

How do you respond to potential criticism that focusing on population-level extinctions could divert resources from protecting critically endangered species?

Gerardo Ceballos: Conservation requires focusing on both population and species levels. Protecting critically endangered species means protecting their last populations. However, focusing on population-level extinctions means maintaining populations at regional and national levels, preventing further deterioration of declining species, and maintaining ecosystem services at those levels. For example, maintaining elephant populations in South Africa will help conserve the species in the continent while preserving the benefits to both ecosystems and the human well-being of that country.

Your work spans decades of research. What changes in extinction patterns or conservation approaches have you observed over your careers?

Paul Ehrlich: In my 70-plus years in conservation, I have seen the scientific community slowly come to realize that the true “wealth of nations” is their biodiversity – the only type of capital that human beings cannot survive without. My scientific surprise has been the discovery, partly in my research, of the “insect apocalypse” – the massive destruction of insect populations. Among other things, that is a major factor in the decline of bird populations.

Dirzo: Our work has drawn attention to the fact that biodiversity conservation efforts need to consider policy intervention to prevent the extinction of ecological interactions. For example, the loss of populations in an ecosystem can lead to the local extinction of processes such as pollination or pest control. Also, biodiversity conservation is being increasingly recognized as a critical factor of societal well-being in terms of human health, including disease regulation and mental health.

If readers take away just one action item from your book, what would you want it to be?

Dirzo: Changing human behavior away from unsustainable meat consumption and industrial agriculture. This represents an action that will reduce massive land-use change, greenhouse gas emissions, personal health afflictions, waste, and inequity.

Ceballos: A very important action is to vote for the politicians that have conservation as a major issue in their political agenda.

Given the accelerating rate of land-based vertebrate losses, what gives you hope that we can still make a meaningful difference?

Ehrlich: Humanity has shown the ability to change behavior very swiftly when people feel threatened. One of the chores of scientists is to be sure that everyone understands that civilization cannot persist on its current trajectory.

Ceballos: Many successful conservation cases at all levels indicate that the current extinction crisis is not predetermined.

For more information

Ehrlich is the Bing Professor of Population Studies, Emeritus, in the  Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences , president of the  Stanford Center for Conservation Biology , and senior fellow emeritus in the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment . Dirzo is the Bing Professor of Environmental Science in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences and the  Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability , where he is also the associate dean for integrative initiatives in environmental justice, and senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. Ceballos is a senior researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s Institute of Ecology. Ehrlich, Dirzo, and Ceballos are members of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

Related story

Stanford researcher says sixth mass extinction is here

Paul Ehrlich and others use highly conservative estimates to prove that species are disappearing faster than at any time since the dinosaurs’ demise.

Stanford biologists warn of prelude to extinction

Loss of land-based vertebrates is accelerating

Media contact

Rob Jordan, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment: 650-721-1881, [email protected]

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Natural biodiversity loss

Human-driven biodiversity loss.

• Ecological effects
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• Solutions to biodiversity loss

• What are the abiotic and biotic components of the biosphere?
• What organizations determine which organisms are endangered species?

biodiversity loss

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• U.S. National Science Foundation - Loss of Biological Diversity: A Global crisis requiring international solutions
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - The Loss of Diversity Causes and Consequences
• The Guardian - The biodiversity crisis in numbers - a visual guide
• Academia - Causes of Biodiversity Loss: a Human Ecological Analysis
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biodiversity loss , a decrease in biodiversity within a species , an ecosystem , a given geographic area, or Earth as a whole. Biodiversity , or biological diversity , is a term that refers to the number of genes , species, individual organisms within a given species, and biological communities within a defined geographic area, ranging from the smallest ecosystem to the global biosphere . (A biological community is an interacting group of various species in a common location.) Likewise, biodiversity loss describes the decline in the number, genetic variability, and variety of species, and the biological communities in a given area. This loss in the variety of life can lead to a breakdown in the functioning of the ecosystem where decline has happened.

(Read E.O. Wilson’s Britannica essay on mass extinction.)

The idea of biodiversity is most often associated with species richness (the count of species in an area), and thus biodiversity loss is often viewed as species loss from an ecosystem or even the entire biosphere ( see also extinction ). However, associating biodiversity loss with species loss alone overlooks other subtle phenomena that threaten long-term ecosystem health. Sudden population declines may upset social structures in some species, which may keep surviving males and females from finding mates, which may then produce further population declines. Declines in genetic diversity that accompany rapid falls in population may increase inbreeding (mating between closely related individuals), which could produce a further decline in genetic diversity.

Even though a species is not eliminated from the ecosystem or from the biosphere, its niche (the role the species play in the ecosystems it inhabits) diminishes as its numbers fall. If the niches filled by a single species or a group of species are critical to the proper functioning of the ecosystem, a sudden decline in numbers may produce significant changes in the ecosystem’s structure. For example, clearing trees from a forest eliminates the shading, temperature and moisture regulation, animal habitat, and nutrient transport services they provide to the ecosystem.

An area’s biodiversity increases and decreases with natural cycles. Seasonal changes , such as the onset of spring , create opportunities for feeding and breeding , increasing biodiversity as the populations of many species rise. In contrast, the onset of winter temporarily decreases an area’s biodiversity, as warm-adapted insects die and migrating animals leave. In addition, the seasonal rise and fall of plant and invertebrate populations (such as insects and plankton ), which serve as food for other forms of life, also determine an area’s biodiversity.

Biodiversity loss is typically associated with more permanent ecological changes in ecosystems , landscapes, and the global biosphere . Natural ecological disturbances , such as wildfire , floods , and volcanic eruptions , change ecosystems drastically by eliminating local populations of some species and transforming whole biological communities . Such disturbances are temporary, however, because natural disturbances are common and ecosystems have adapted to their challenges ( see also ecological succession ).

In contrast, biodiversity losses from disturbances caused by humans tend to be more severe and longer-lasting. Humans ( Homo sapiens ), their crops, and their food animals take up an increasing share of Earth’s land area. Half of the world’s habitable land (some 51 million square km [19.7 million square miles]) has been converted to agriculture, and some 77 percent of agricultural land (some 40 million square km [15.4 million square miles]) is used for grazing by cattle , sheep , goats , and other livestock . This massive conversion of forests, wetlands , grasslands , and other terrestrial ecosystems has produced a 60 percent decline (on average) in the number of vertebrates worldwide since 1970, with the greatest losses in vertebrate populations occurring in freshwater habitats (83 percent) and in South and Central America (89 percent). Between 1970 and 2014 the human population grew from about 3.7 billion to 7.3 billion people. By 2018 the biomass of humans and their livestock (0.16 gigaton) greatly outweighed the biomass of wild mammals (0.007 gigaton) and wild birds (0.002 gigaton). Researchers estimate that the current rate of species loss varies between 100 and 10,000 times the background extinction rate (which is roughly one to five species per year when the entire fossil record is considered). In addition, a 2019 report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services noted that up to one million plant and animal species are facing extinction due to human activities.

Forest clearing, wetland filling, stream channeling and rerouting, and road and building construction are often part of a systematic effort that produces a substantial change in the ecological trajectory of a landscape or a region. As human populations grow, the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems they use may be transformed by the efforts of human beings to find and produce food, adapt the landscape to human settlement, and create opportunities for trading with other communities for the purposes of building wealth . Biodiversity losses typically accompany these processes.

Researchers have identified five important drivers of biodiversity loss:

• Habitat loss and degradation—which is any thinning, fragmentation, or destruction of an existing natural habitat—reduces or eliminates the food resources and living space for most species. Species that cannot migrate are often wiped out.
• Invasive species —which are non-native species that significantly modify or disrupt the ecosystems they colonize—may outcompete native species for food and habitat, which triggers population declines in native species. Invasive species may arrive in new areas through natural migration or through human introduction.
• Overexploitation —which is the harvesting of game animals, fish , or other organisms beyond the capacity for surviving populations to replace their losses—results in some species being depleted to very low numbers and others being driven to extinction .
• Pollution —which is the addition of any substance or any form of energy to the environment at a rate faster than it can be dispersed, diluted, decomposed, recycled, or stored in some harmless form—contributes to biodiversity loss by creating health problems in exposed organisms. In some cases, exposure may occur in doses high enough to kill outright or create reproductive problems that threaten the species’s survival.
• Climate change associated with global warming —which is the modification of Earth’s climate caused by the burning of fossil fuels —is caused by industry and other human activities. Fossil fuel combustion produces greenhouse gases that enhance the atmospheric absorption of infrared radiation ( heat energy) and trap the heat, influencing temperature and precipitation patterns.

Ecologists emphasize that habitat loss (typically from the conversion of forests , wetlands , grasslands , and other natural areas to urban and agricultural uses) and invasive species are the primary drivers of biodiversity loss, but they acknowledge that climate change could become a primary driver as the 21st century progresses. In an ecosystem, species tolerance limits and nutrient cycling processes are adapted to existing temperature and precipitation patterns. Some species may not able to cope with environmental changes from global warming. These changes may also provide new opportunities for invasive species, which could further add to the stresses on species struggling to adapt to changing environmental conditions. All five drivers are strongly influenced by the continued growth of the human population and its consumption of natural resources .

Interactions between two or more of these drivers increase the pace of biodiversity loss. Fragmented ecosystems are generally not as resilient as contiguous ones, and areas clear-cut for farms, roads, and residences provide avenues for invasions by non-native species, which contribute to further declines in native species. Habitat loss combined with hunting pressure is hastening the decline of several well-known species, such as the Bornean orangutan ( Pongo pygmaeus ), which could become extinct by the middle of the 21st century. Hunters killed 2,000–3,000 Bornean orangutans every year between 1971 and 2011, and the clearing of large areas of tropical forest in Indonesia and Malaysia for oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis ) cultivation became an additional obstacle to the species’ survival. Palm oil production increased 900 percent in Indonesia and Malaysia between 1980 and 2010, and, with large areas of Borneo’s tropical forests cut, the Bornean orangutan and hundreds to thousands of other species have been deprived of habitat .

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Management and Response to AMR

Environment plays a key role in development, transmission and spread of AMR. Therefore, the response must be based on a One Health approach, recognizing that humans, animals, plants and environment are interconnected and indivisible, at the global, regional and local levels, from all sectors, stakeholders and institutions. Prevention is at the core of the action needed to halt the emergence of AMR and environment is a key part of the solution.  

“AMR challenges cannot be understood or addressed separately from the triple planetary crisis – the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste, all of which are driven by unsustainable consumption and production patterns,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.  

Measuring progress  

Countries have agreed to have a National Antimicrobial Resistance Action Plans (NAP) consistent with the Global Action Plan, and to implement relevant policies and plans to prevent, control and monitor AMR. An annual Tracking AMR Country Self-assessment Survey ( TrACSS ) jointly administered by FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH monitors country progress in the implementation of their NAP. View the results of the current and previous amrcountryprogress.org  

Financing action  

The AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund (AMR MPTF) supports countries in the implementation of the AMR national actions plans through a One Health approach. The fund finances catalytical, coordinated policy advice, technical assistance and capacity-strengthening programmes.  

It is imperative to tackle the environmental dimensions of AMR to maintain progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals . 

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