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Topic: Biodiversity

Biodiversity (origin: Thomas Lovejoy, Elliott Norse, and E.O. Wilson)

Biodiversity is an umbrella term, originated in conservation science of the 1980s, that refers to “the totality of all inherited variation in the life forms of Earth” (E.O. Wilson), from genes and microbial life, to species, biomes, and ecosystems.

The notion of biodiversity was introduced into mainstream conservation discourse in the 1992 UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Since then, the CBD has sponsored periodic reports on biological diversity, which summarize the status of Earth’s biodiversity and actions taken to safeguard it. The most recent Global Biodiversity Outlook report (GBO5, released in 2020) found that the world has failed to reach even one of the major biodiversity conservation targets it had set for itself in 2010. In September 2020, this recognition led to 64 countries sign Leader’s Pledge for Nature to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. The most recent WWF’s Living Planet Report 2022 reveals an average decline of 69% in species populations since 1970.

Some of the recent proposals to save the world’s biodiversity include E.O. Wilson’s Half Earth—a call to set aside half of the land and half of the ocean surface to preserve sufficient habitat to ensure the long-term health of the planet; The Wyss campaign for Nature which seeks to mobilize the world to protect 30% of the marine and terrestrial surface by 2030; and Doug Tellamy’s grassroots initiative Homegrown National Park, which encourages individuals to rewild all of the land they own. In the U.S., 76% of the land is in private hands, and 85.6% of the land east of the Mississippi is privately owned.

©2023 ClimateLit (Marek Oziewicz)

See also: Biodiversity loss, Half Earth, Gaia

Subtopics: Biodiversity Loss

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“We took the orca from the sea and put it in the sky”

by Shaun Tan

“We promised to set things right. But so many years have passed now, and … we just don’t know how to get it down”

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by Edward Burtynsky, Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier

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by K. O'Neill

“I know our village is small, and we can only do small things to help the sea. But I still think we should do them. Even if other people are harming the reef, it doesn’t make it okay for us to as well.”

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AstroNuts Mission One: The Plant Planet

by Jon Scieszka

“So now it’s up to you to figure a way out. You can: a) Burn less fossil fuels or b) Find another planet with air and water and plants and animals, just like Me.”

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by Jon Scieszka

“Even though the Water Planet did not turn out to be a good Goldilocks Planet, it did turn out to be a good lesson on how to take care of a planet.”

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by Sy Montgomery

“School is not the only place to find a teacher.”

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Berry Song

by Michaela Goade

“We take care of the land… as the land takes care of us. Gunalchéesh, I say giving thanks.”

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Big Tree

by Brian Selznick

“Merwin. All life is in danger. Remember, life began as a gift, and it must always be treated as such. No matter how unstoppable the danger seems, no matter how unavoidable, there’s always something you can do.”

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by Jason Chin

“With so many species living in such a small space, it’s no wonder coral reefs are called cities of the sea.”

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by Claudia McGehee

“No water – no water bugs, no frogs, no birds, and no brook trout. The lost creek was quiet under the sun.”

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David Attenborough: A Life on our Planet

by Jonnie Hughes

“This is not about saving our planet, it’s about saving ourselves. The truth is, with our without us, the natural world will rebuild.”

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Diary of a Young Naturalist

by Dara McAnulty

“All birds live brightly in our imagination, connecting us to the natural world, opening up all kinds of creativity. Is this connection really diminishing to the point of no return? I refuse to believe it.” 

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by Amy Allgeyer

“I nod, but my mind’s fixed on something else—something abnormal in the valley. Something that might be causing all those health problems. And that something is bright orange.”

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Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission

by Magic Pockets

“For thousands of years, our clan has protected the island’s ecosystem.”

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