The Essentials of Biodiversity

"The UK may be known for its green fields and lush countryside, but new data shows that it is actually one of the worst countries in the world in terms of the state of its biodiversity."

(BBC, 2021)

"Our planet is home to bewildering assemblages of life. Millions of different kinds of animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi coexist in remarkably interconnected ways. Together they make up the biodiversity of the Earth."

About Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of all living things

on Earth and how they fit together

This 'web of life' provides oxygen, water, food and countless other benefits (BBC, 2021). Organisms survive within complex interrelationships and networks - ecosystems - which are critical to biodiversity.

Biodiversity is Hugely Important

Biodiversity is vital for the processes

which support all life on Earth, including ours

Human health, economies and well-being absolutley depend on biodiversity; amongst many things, it regulates nutrient and water cycles, influences climate, temperatures and oxygen levels, helps clean pollution from the environment (TRS, 2021).

Biodiversity provides us with the food we eat, from the micro-organisms that enrich the soil where we grow our crops and the pollinators who give us fruit and nuts, to the fish that are the main source of animal protein for around a billion people. It also provides us with many of our medicines which are derived from plants and fungi from the natural world.

The Biodiversity Crisis

Biodiversity is declining faster than

at any time in human history

Biodiversity loss is accelerating in all regions of the world. E.g.

The UK only has an average of about half its biodiversity left, far below the global average of 75%, reported in a recent study.
The UK is one of the world's most nature-depleted countries - in the bottom 10% globally, and last among the G7 group of nations.

Globally since 1970 there has been around a 70% decline in the populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians (see The Living Planet Report 2022).
It is thought that one million animal and plant species - almost a quarter of the global total - are threatened with extinction. This includes over half (58%) of Europe’s native trees are facing extinction.

75% of the Earth’s land surface has been significantly altered by human actions, including 85 percent of wetland areas (IPBES).

Reasons for this Biodiversity Loss

"We are using the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to maintain our current
way of life and ecosystems cannot keep up with our demands"
(Becoming Generation Restoration, UNEP).

Many human actions are destroying our biodiversity: our voracious consumption of natural resources, the widespread use of harmful pesticides, and burning of fossil fuels are having a huge impact on all parts of the Earth, putting enormous pressure on wildlife.

Some good news! Some areas and localities in the UK have seen relatively stable biodiversity levels over recent years, albeit at a "really low level". Encouragingly, more and more people are making a difference in their homes, outside spaces, and daily lives, and there are increasing numbers of projects now underway seeing real positive changes in their local nature and biodiversity.

What We Need to Do Now to Slow Down the Crisis

Biodiversity must be given far

higher prominence and urgency

To halt loses and start increasing biodiversity levels in the UK transformational change is needed at all levels: individual, local, regional and international.

Changes people can make themselves can make a massive difference

Actions that individuals can take make massive difference to the overall climate change picture and could cut 40-70% of projected 2050 emissions. There are all kinds of changes that will help, such as shifting to more plant-based diets and avoiding flights (BBC, 2023).

Urgent Actions for Us All: Living Sustainability

We need to:

Preserve and restore our ecosystems.

Rebuild biodiversity in our localities wherever and however we can ...

* Give plants and animals space! Leave enough space for natural habitats to thrive.

* Provide help and support when they need it.

Educate and motivate people about sustainability.
As individuals, communities and community developers, work with instead of against nature.
Cut our carbon emissions.
Reduce what we are wasting and throwing away
have a positive impact on biodiversity as well as as saving money!

* Try to use everything we buy - huge amounts of food is wasted in the UK.
* Repair wherever possible, rather than replacing electrical goods and other items.
* Get more use out of the clothes we already own.

Recycle more.

Use land and water wisely, and in ways that cause the least damage to the environment.
Create wildlife friendly gardens and community spaces.
Install bird feeders, nesting boxes, swift bricks, homes for hedgehogs, bug hotels, grow flowers for bees and butterflies, provide water for wildlife, etc. See Gardening for Wildlife for more.
Work to urgently protect both local and global biodiversity hotspots.
Plant more flowers, fruits and vegetables native to our area.
Buy fewer products and strive to make sure products we do buy minimise the impact on biodiversity.

Check what we buy, and the companies we support, to ensure they are not contributing to destruction of habitat elsewhere.

Look for labels such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or Rainforest Alliance Certified (these are committed to the conservation of the Earth’s resources and also to advocating for the human rights of the native peoples who inhabit the land many products are sourced from).