Biodiversity contributes to many aspects of human well-being, for instance by providing raw materials and contributing to health.
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment shows that human actions often lead to irreversible losses in terms of diversity of life on Earth and these losses have been more rapid in the past 50 years than ever before in human history.
What factors are responsible for this rapid loss? What would need to be done to significantly slow this trend?
Human well-being is highly dependent on ecosystems and the benefits they provide such as food and drinkable water. Over the past 50 years, however, humans have had a tremendous impact on their environment.
To better understand the consequences of current changes to ecosystems and to evaluate scenarios for the future, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has launched a comprehensive scientific study, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
What actions could be taken to limit harmful consequences of ecosystem degradation?
Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on
biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental
Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
- ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION –
Human well-being is highly dependent on ecosystems and the benefits they provide such as food and drinkable water. Over the past 50 years, however, humans have had a tremendous impact on their environment.
To better understand the consequences of current changes to ecosystems and to evaluate scenarios for the future, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has launched a comprehensive scientific study, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.
What actions could be taken to limit harmful consequences of ecosystem degradation?
Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on
biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental
Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
- ADVANCE UNEDITED VERSION –
Direct And Indirect Drivers of BiodiversitySally Longford
A power point to practice working out whether the drivers that change biodiversity are direct or indirect, as described in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
PPT is a file extension for a presentation file format used by Microsoft PowerPoint, the popular presentation software commonly used for office and educational slide shows. All text images, sound and video used in the presentation are contained in the PPT file.
By reading this PDF one can understand the concepts and components of sustainability and sustainable development. It also discuss about the visions and ethics of sustainability. Further, it talks about the vision and mission of Bruntland commission and its role in sustainable development goals.
Presentation from Salman Hussain, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) describing TEEB Agriculture and Food, a study designed to provide an economic evaluation of the ‘eco-agri-food systems’ complex. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition, held at FAO in Rome on 18-19 September 2014.
International Journal of Engineering and Science Invention (IJESI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of computer science and electronics. IJESI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Engineering Science and Technology, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online.
Forests, ecosystems services and poverty alleviation - World BankCIFOR-ICRAF
This presentation was delivered at the third Latin American Conference of the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Direct And Indirect Drivers of BiodiversitySally Longford
A power point to practice working out whether the drivers that change biodiversity are direct or indirect, as described in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
PPT is a file extension for a presentation file format used by Microsoft PowerPoint, the popular presentation software commonly used for office and educational slide shows. All text images, sound and video used in the presentation are contained in the PPT file.
By reading this PDF one can understand the concepts and components of sustainability and sustainable development. It also discuss about the visions and ethics of sustainability. Further, it talks about the vision and mission of Bruntland commission and its role in sustainable development goals.
Presentation from Salman Hussain, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) describing TEEB Agriculture and Food, a study designed to provide an economic evaluation of the ‘eco-agri-food systems’ complex. The presentation was prepared and delivered in occasion of the International Symposium on Agroecology for Food Security and Nutrition, held at FAO in Rome on 18-19 September 2014.
International Journal of Engineering and Science Invention (IJESI) is an international journal intended for professionals and researchers in all fields of computer science and electronics. IJESI publishes research articles and reviews within the whole field Engineering Science and Technology, new teaching methods, assessment, validation and the impact of new technologies and it will continue to provide information on the latest trends and developments in this ever-expanding subject. The publications of papers are selected through double peer reviewed to ensure originality, relevance, and readability. The articles published in our journal can be accessed online.
Forests, ecosystems services and poverty alleviation - World BankCIFOR-ICRAF
This presentation was delivered at the third Latin American Conference of the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Ecosystem services for biodiversity conservation and sustainable agricultureExternalEvents
The presentation by Dr. Abigael Otinga (University of Eldoret) outlines the concept of “ecosystem services” and particularly their relevance not only for biodiversity conservation but also for ensuring sustainable production of healthy and abundant crops. The presentation was given at a national training workshops for stakeholders involved in the revision of the Kenya NBSAP that was held at ICRAF in Nairobi, 25-26 May 2016. More information on the event are available at: www.fao.org/africa/news/detail-news/en/c/417489/ .
Presentation given at the USAID SQALE Symposium, Bridging the Quality Gap - Strengthening Quality Improvement in Community Health Services, by Prisca Muange on behalf of USAID Assist. http://usaidsqale.reachoutconsortium.org/
Not Your Father’s NRM: Understanding NRM in Post-Conflict CountriesCAPRi
Presented at the CAPRi International Workshop on Collective Action, Property Rights, and Conflict in Natural Resources Management. June 28th to July 1st, 2010, Siem Reap, Cambodia.
http://www.capri.cgiar.org/wks_0610.asp
The Learning Route on Natural Resource Management and Climate Change Adaptation best practices, the experience in Kenya; took place between the 6-13 July 2014 in several counties in Kenya.
The objective of this learning route is to scale up through peer to peer learning the Kenyan best multi stakeholders' strategies, tools and practices to fight environmental degradation and to adapt to climate change with the aim of improving the livelihoods of people living in affected communities.
The learning Route has been developed by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) CARE (relief agency) in Kenya and the Cgiar Research Program on Climate Change & Food Security, in partnership with Procasur Africa.
Here we have an overview of the all the experiences of the three host case studies that were visited:
Case 1: Mount Kenya East Pilot Project (MKEPP), the Upper Tana Natural Resource Manangement Project (UTANRMP)
Case 2: the CCAFS and dryland Agriculture site in Wote (Makueni)
Case 3: The Community of Balich and the Adaptation Learning Programme (Garissa)
Scientific Facts on Biodiversity A Global OutlookGreenFacts
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has set, in 2002, the ambitious target of reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010.
A number of indicators of biological diversity were created to assess progress towards meeting that target.
Why is it important to reduce biodiversity loss? Can the 2010 Biodiversity Target be reached and what actions are needed to ensure that it is?
threats to biodiversity, conservation of aquatic biodiversity, conservation of terrestrial biodiversity, what is biodiversity, biodiversity of India, conservation of biodiversity
Marine Biodiversity : A Global Pattern Essay
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Introduction to soil resources and land degradation; soil erosion; Soil and water conservation; land degradation components: Loss of biodiversity, salinization, water erosion, range land degradation; degradation processes, ecosystem function and losses; Basic concept of hazards, risk, vulnerability and degradation; Type of degradation, their causes and impacts; Tools, model and methodologies for land degradation assessment and monitoring, Conservation concept and measures, Reconciling degradation and land resources management issues
Population growth is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using "per unit time" for measurement. In biology, the term population growth is likely to refer to any known organism, but this article deals mostly with the application of the term to human populations in demography.
In demography, population growth is used informally for the more specific term population growth rate (see below), and is often used to refer specifically to the growth of the human population of the world.
Answer (6)THREE WAYS HUMAN HAVE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BIODIVERSITY .pdfangelsfashion1
Answer (6)
THREE WAYS HUMAN HAVE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BIODIVERSITY :-
(A) Population:-
Growth of the human population is a major factor affecting the environment. Simply put,
overpopulation means that there are more people than there are resources to meet their needs.
Almost all the environmental problems we face today can be traced back to the increase in
population in the world. The human population is at 6 billion; with an annual global growth rate
of 1.8%, three more people are added to the earth every second.
(B) Habitat Removal and Alteration :-
Habitat fragmentation is the loss and subdivision of a habitat and the corresponding increase in
other habitats in the landscape. Conversion of habitat represents the greatest threat to
biodiversity, since almost all human activities cause alterations to the natural environment to a
greater or lesser degree. Almost 10% of Canada\'s ecoregions are estimated to be at high risk for
loss of biodiversity because of habitat removal.
(C) Overharvesting/Overexploitation :-
Overharvesting has had the greatest effect on biodiversity. In fact, overharvesting and habitat
loss often occur simultaneously, as removal of an organism from its environment can have
irreversible impacts on the environment itself.
Humans have historically exploited plant and animal species in order to maximize short-term
profit, at the expense of sustainability of the species or population. This exploitation follows a
predictable pattern: initially, a species harvested from the wild can turn a substantial profit,
encouraging more people to get involved in its extraction. This increased competition encourages
the development of more large-scale and efficient methods of extraction, which inevitably
deplete the resource.
(D) Pollution :-
Toxic discharges: This includes metals, organic chemicals, and suspended sediments usually
found in industrial and municipal effluents that are discharged directly into waterbodies. Toxic
discharges can inversely impact the biota (living organisms) in an ecosystem by killing them,
weakening them, or affecting their ability to carry out essential biological functions (feeding,
reproducing, etc.).
bacterial contamination: For example, fecal coliforms that come from human waste are found in
municipal effluent discharges. Potable water is treated to destroy fecal coliforms which can make
people ill if ingested.
nutrient buildup: Most concern are phosphorus and nitrogen which often originate as run-off
from fertilizers applied on agricultural fields. These nutrients, naturally present in very low
concentrations, stimulate rapid growth of algae and aquatic plants, ultimately limiting the amount
of oxygen and light available to other organisms in the ecosystem. As well, aquatic environments
can be degraded by habitat alteration and presence of invasive species.
Answer (7);
SPECIES DIVERSITY
This refers to the variety of species within a particular region. The number of species in a region
is a measure for such.
Similar to Scientific Facts on Biodiversity & Human Well-being (20)
La biologie de synthèse utilise des méthodes plus simples et plus rapides pour produire des organismes génétiquement modifiés (OGM).
Quels sont les risques potentiels?
La biología sintética utiliza métodos más rápidos y sencillos para producir organismos modificados genéticamente (OMG).
¿Qué riesgos conlleva la biología sintética?
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L’utilisation commerciale des nanomatériaux est relativement nouvelle et si certaines applications pourraient être prometteuses et bénéfiques, elle soulève également des questions quant à sa sûreté.
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¿Son seguros los cosméticos que contienen sílice en nanoforma?GreenFacts
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¿Es peligrosa la presencia de nanosílice en los cosméticos?
A la luz de estudios científicos recientes sobre las amalgamas dentales, el SCENIHR (Comité Científico de los Riesgos Sanitarios Emergentes y Recientemente Identificados) ha revisado su dictamen de 2008 sobre la seguridad y el rendimiento de las amalgamas dentales y las posibles alternativas, como compuestos a base de resina, cementos de ionómero de vidrio y cerámicas.
El mercurio, elemento metálico utilizado en los empastes de amalgama, tiene efectos sanitarios bien conocidos y documentados. ¿Plantean algún riesgo las amalgamas dentales y los materiales alternativos?
In light of recent scientific studies on dental amalgam, SCENIHR (Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks) revisited its 2008 opinion on the safety and performance of both dental amalgam and possible alternatives (i.e. resin-based composites, glass ionomer cements and ceramics).
Mercury, which is the metallic element used in dental amalgam fillings, has well-documented and well-known health effects. Do dental amalgam and alternative materials pose any risks?
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émergents et nouveaux indépendant (SCENIHR) : «Potential health effects of exposure to electromagnetic fields
(EMF)».
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The IPCC uses a very specific language when it comes to expressing the degree of uncertainty or agreement for each statement in the fifth assessment report. For an overview of the specific meaning of each qualifier, you can read the relevant section in our summary of the Working Group I report.
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Over the last century, antibiotics have radically changed the
way we treat infections. They are an important tool for modern medicine, but unfortunately their misuse have led to the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.
What has caused it and how can the spread of resistance be limited?
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de titanio (TiO2). El dióxido de titanio en forma de nanopartículas
se utiliza como decolorante en cremas y lociones, y actualmente está aprobado como
filtro UV para protectores solares. ¿Son seguros los protectores solares con nanopartículas de dióxido de titanio? ¿Se comportan estas nanopartículas de
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The increasing use of nanomaterials in a wide range of
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How are the risks of nanoparticles evaluated?
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Titandioxids (TiO2), nötig gemacht.
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Sonnenschutzmittel mit Titandioxid-Nanopartikeln
sicher? Verhalten sich diese Nanopartikel anders als
andere Partikel des Titandioxids? Wie werden die Gefahren
von Nanopartikeln abgeschätzt? In diesem Informationsblatt
erfahren Sie alles darüber.
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utilisées pour rendre les crèmes et les lotions
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The French Revolution, which began in 1789, was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France. It marked the decline of absolute monarchies, the rise of secular and democratic republics, and the eventual rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. This revolutionary period is crucial in understanding the transition from feudalism to modernity in Europe.
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Scientific Facts on Biodiversity & Human Well-being
1. Facts on Biodiversity
A Summary of the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment Biodiversity Synthesis
BIODIVERSITY contributes to many
aspects of human well-being, for
instance by providing raw materials and
contributing to health. Human actions,
however, often lead to irreversible
losses in terms of diversity of life on
Earth and these losses have been more
rapid in the past 50 years than ever
before in human history. What factors
are responsible for this rapid loss of
biodiversity? What would need to be
done to significantly slow this trend?
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DIRECTORATE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT
2. Biodiversity: What is it, where is it, and why is it important?
Biodiversity is the measure of the number, variety and variability of living distribution of all components of biodiversity. Based on present
organisms. It includes diversity within species, between species, and knowledge of how biodiversity changes over time, rough estimates can be
among ecosystems. The concept also covers how this diversity changes made of the rates at which species become extinct.
from one location to another and over time. Indicators such as the
number of species in a given area can help in monitoring certain aspects Ecosystem services are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems.
of biodiversity. Biodiversity plays an important role in the way ecosystems function and
in the many services they provide. Services include nutrient and water
Biodiversity is everywhere, both on land and in water. It includes all cycling, soil formation and retention, resistance against invasive species,
organisms, from microscopic bacteria to more complex plants and pollination of plants, regulation of climate, as well as pest and pollution
animals. Current inventories of species, though useful, remain incomplete control by ecosystems. For ecosystem services it matters which species
and insufficient for providing an accurate picture of the extent and are abundant as well as how many species are present.
Why is biodiversity loss a concern?
Biodiversity provides many key benefits to humans that go beyond the Over the last century, some people have benefited from the conversion of
mere provision of raw materials. natural ecosystems and an increase in international trade, but other
people have suffered from the consequences of biodiversity losses and
Biodiversity loss has negative effects on several aspects of human well- from restricted access to resources they depend upon. Changes in
being, such as food security, vulnerability to natural disasters, energy ecosystems are harming many of the world’s poorest people, who are the
security, and access to clean water and raw materials. It also affects least able to adjust to these changes.
human health, social relations, and freedom of choice.
Society tends to have various competing goals, many of which depend on
biodiversity. When humans modify an ecosystem to improve a service it
provides, this generally also results in changes to other ecosystem
services. For example, actions to increase food production can lead to
reduced water availability for other uses. As a result of such trade-offs,
many services have been degraded, for instance fisheries, water supply,
and protection against natural hazards. In the long term, the value of
services lost may greatly exceed the short-term economic benefits that
are gained from transforming ecosystems.
Unlike goods bought and sold in markets, many ecosystem services are
not traded in markets for readily observable prices. This means that the
importance of biodiversity and natural processes in providing benefits to
humans is ignored by financial markets. New methods are being used to
assign monetary values to benefits such as recreation or clean drinking
water. Degradation of ecosystem services could be significantly slowed
down or reversed if the full economic value of these services were taken
Biodiversity loss increases our vulnerability to natural disasters.
into account in decision-making.
What are the current trends in biodiversity?
Virtually all of Earth’s ecosystems have been dramatically transformed
through human actions and ecosystems continue to be converted for
agricultural and other uses. The current loss of biodiversity and the
related changes in the environment are now faster than ever before in
human history and there is no sign of this process slowing down. Many
animal and plant populations have declined in numbers, geographical
spread, or both. Species extinction is a natural part of Earth’s history.
Human activity has increased the extinction rate by at least 100 times
compared to the natural rate.
Comparing different types of measurements of biodiversity loss is not
simple. The rate of change in one aspect of biodiversity, such as loss of
species richness, does not necessarily reflect the change in another, such
as habitat loss. Moreover, some aspects of biodiversity loss are not easily
measured, for instance the fact that the same species are increasingly
found at different locations on the planet and that overall biodiversity is
decreasing.
The WWF Living Planet Index shows trends in the overall abundance of
wild species.
3. What factors lead to biodiversity loss?
Biodiversity is declining rapidly due to factors such as land use change, establish and spread outside their normal distribution; overexploitation
climate change, invasive species, overexploitation, and pollution. Such of natural resources; and pollution, particularly by excessive fertilizer
natural or human-induced factors – referred to as drivers – tend to use leading to excessive levels of nutrients in soil and water.
interact and amplify each other.
Recent changes in climate have already had significant impacts on
While changes in biodiversity are more clearly linked to direct drivers biodiversity and ecosystems in certain regions. As climate change will
such as habitat loss, they are also linked to indirect drivers that are at become more severe, the harmful impacts on ecosystem services are
the root of many changes in ecosystems. The main indirect drivers are expected to outweigh possible benefits, such as a longer growing season, in
changes in human population, economic activity, and technology, as well most regions of the world. Climate change is expected to exacerbate risks of
as socio-political and cultural factors. extinctions, floods, droughts, population declines, and disease outbreaks.
Different direct drivers have been critically important in different Many drivers affecting biodiversity are stronger today than they were in
ecosystems over the past 50 years. For example, in terrestrial ecosystems, the past and are also occurring together. Because exposure to one threat
the main driver has been land cover change such as the conversion of often makes a species more susceptible to another, multiple threats may
forest to agriculture. In marine systems, however, fishing, and particularly have unexpectedly dramatic impacts on biodiversity. Drivers of extinction
overfishing, have been the main drivers of biodiversity loss. range from local to global in scope and from immediate to long-term in
their effects. For example, the extinction of species due to habitat loss
Overall, the main factors directly driving biodiversity loss are: habitat can be rapid for some species, while it may take hundreds of years for
change, such as fragmentation of forests; invasive alien species that others.
How might biodiversity change in the future under various plausible scenarios?
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment developed four plausible Human well-being will be affected by biodiversity loss both directly and
scenarios to explore the future of biodiversity and human well-being indirectly. Direct effects include an increased risk of sudden
until 2050 and beyond. The different scenarios are based on either environmental changes such as fisheries collapses, floods, droughts,
increased globalization or increased regionalization, and an either wildfires, and disease. Changes will also affect human well-being
reactive or proactive way of addressing environmental issues. indirectly, for instance in the form of conflicts due to scarcer food and
water resources.
Overall, in all four scenarios, agricultural land will expand and forest
cover will shrink, particularly in developing countries. This will lead to a Though the average income per person is projected to rise in all
continuing decline in local and global biodiversity, mainly as a result of scenarios, this can mask increased inequity for instance in terms of food
habitat loss. More proactive approaches to the environment will be more security. Major decisions will have to address trade-offs between
successful in slowing these trends. competing goals, for instance between agricultural production and water
quality, or between water use and aquatic biodiversity. Policies that
Aquatic biodiversity and specific fish populations are expected to decline conserve more biodiversity are also promoting higher overall human
due to factors such as excessive levels of nutrients, overharvesting, well-being by preserving multiple benefits obtained from ecosystems.
invasion by alien species, and pollution.
Land-cover Map for the Year 2000
4. What actions can be taken to conserve biodiversity?
Protected areas are an essential part of conservation programs, but they
are not sufficient by themselves to protect the full range of biodiversity
and can be difficult to enforce. To be successful, sites for protected areas
need to be carefully chosen, ensuring that all regional ecosystems are
well represented, and the areas need to be well designed and effectively
managed.
Market tools, such as direct payments for ecosystem services or
transfers of ownership rights to private individuals, can provide
economic incentives to conserve biodiversity and to use ecosystem
services sustainably.
Prevention and early intervention have proven to be the most successful
and cost-effective way of tackling invasive species. Once an invasive
species has become established, its control and particularly its
eradication through the use of chemicals or through the introduction of
other species is not necessarily effective and is extremely difficult and
Biodiversity includes all organisms, from bacteria to complex animals.
costly.
To be conserved, biodiversity must be integrated into the agriculture, Informing all of society about the benefits of conserving biodiversity, and
fishery, and forestry sectors. These sectors are directly dependent on explicitly considering trade-offs between different options in an
biodiversity and affect it directly. The private sector can make significant integrated way, helps maximize the benefits to society. Ecosystem
contributions, for example by adopting certain agricultural practices. restoration is generally far more expensive than protecting the original
Many companies now show greater corporate responsibility and are ecosystem, but is becoming increasingly important as more areas
preparing their own biodiversity action plans. become degraded.
Strong institutions at all levels are essential to support biodiversity Direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss must be addressed to
conservation and the sustainable use of ecosystems. International better protect biodiversity and ecosystem services. Possible actions
agreements need to include enforcement measures and take into include eliminating harmful subsidies, promoting sustainable
account impacts on biodiversity and possible synergies with other intensification of agriculture, adapting to climate change, limiting the
agreements. Most direct actions to halt or reduce biodiversity loss need increase in nutrient levels in soil and water, assessing the full economic
to be taken at local or national level. Suitable laws and policies value of ecosystem services, and increasing the transparency of decision
developed by central governments can enable local levels of government making processes.
to provide incentives for sustainable resource management.
Can the 2010 biodiversity target be met?
In 2002, the Parties to the Convention on institutions to take actions and for the positive
Biological Diversity agreed on a target to and negative impacts of human actions on
achieve a “significant reduction of the current biodiversity and ecosystems to become
rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional, apparent.
and national level as a contribution to poverty
alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Since changes take place over different time
earth” by 2010. frames, longer-term goals and targets—say,
for 2050—are needed to guide policy and
Given appropriate actions, it is possible to actions, in addition to short-term targets.
achieve a reduction in the rate of biodiversity
loss for certain components of biodiversity Even on economic grounds alone, there is
and in certain regions within that time frame. substantial scope for greater protection of
biodiversity. Ultimately, however, the level of
However, a reduction in the overall rate of biodiversity that survives on Earth will be
biodiversity loss is unlikely to be achieved by determined not just by considerations of
2010. Indeed, current trends show no sign of a usefulness but also by ethical concerns. Trade-
slowdown of biodiversity loss, and direct offs between promoting human well-being and
drivers of loss such as land use change and limiting biodiversity loss are likely, but
climate change are expected to increase synergies are also possible.
further. Moreover, it can take many years for
Biodiversity provides services and raw materials
for human well-being.
5. Conclusion
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment highlights a series of main findings regarding biodiversity.
Finding 1. Human actions are often contributing to irreversible losses in terms of diversity of life on Earth. Changes in
biodiversity have been more rapid in the past 50 years than at any time in human history and are expected
to continue at the same pace or even to accelerate.
Finding 2. Biodiversity contributes directly or indirectly to many aspects of human well-being, for instance by
providing raw materials and contributing to health. Over the past century, many people have benefited from
the conversion of natural ecosystems to agricultural land and from the exploitation of biodiversity. However,
these changes have increased poverty among some social groups.
Finding 3. Although many individuals benefit from activities that lead to biodiversity loss and ecosystem change, the
full costs borne by society often exceed the benefits. This is revealed by improved valuation techniques and
growing knowledge about ecosystems. Even when the benefits and costs of ecosystem changes are not
entirely known, a precautionary approach may be justified when costs could be high or changes irreversible.
Finding 4. Factors such as habitat change, climate change, and a growing population and consumption will continue
to cause losses in biodiversity and changes in ecosystem services at the present pace or even faster.
Finding 5. Many of the actions that have been taken to conserve biodiversity and promote its sustainable use have
been successful in limiting biodiversity loss. Overall the losses are now occurring more slowly than they
would have in the absence of these actions taken by communities, NGOs, governments, as well as business
and industry. To achieve greater progress towards biodiversity conservation, it will be necessary – but not
sufficient – to strengthen a series of actions that focus primarily on the conservation and sustainable use of
biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Finding 6. Unprecedented additional efforts would be needed to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of
biodiversity loss at all levels by 2010.
GLOSSARY GLOSSARY GLOSSARY GLOSSARY GLOSSARY GLOSSARY GLOSSARY GLOSSARY
Alien species An alien species is a species Ecosystem(s) An ecological unit made up of a Habitat change Change in the local environ-
introduced outside its normal distribution. complex system of interactions between liv- mental conditions in which a particular
Invasive alien species are alien species ing communities (plants, animal, fungi, and organism lives. Habitat change can occur
whose establishment and spread modify microorganisms) and the environment they naturally through droughts, disease, fire,
ecosystems, habitats, or species. live in. Ecosystems have no fixed bound- hurricanes, mudslides, volcanoes, earth-
aries; a single lake, a watershed, or an quakes, slight increases or decreases in sea-
Biodiversity Biodiversity is a contraction of entire region could be considered an sonal temperature or precipitation, etc.
biological diversity. Biodiversity reflects the ecosystem. However, it is generally induced by human
number, variety and variability of living activities such as land use change and phys-
organisms. It includes diversity within Ecosystem services The benefits people obtain ical modification of rivers or water withdraw-
species (genetic diversity), between species from ecosystems. These include provisioning al from rivers.
(species diversity), and between ecosys- services such as food and water; regulating
tems (ecosystem diversity). services such as flood and disease control; Land cover The physical coverage of land, usu-
cultural services such as spiritual, recre- ally expressed in terms of vegetation cover
Drivers (of ecosystem change) Any natural or ational, and cultural benefits; and support- or lack of it. The human use of a piece of land
human-induced factor that directly or indi- ing services such as nutrient cycling that for a certain purpose (such as irrigated agri-
rectly causes a change in an ecosystem. maintain the conditions for life on Earth. culture or recreation) influences land cover.
6. Facts on Biodiversity
This foldout presents a faithful summary of one of several leading scientific A more detailed summary can be found at
consensus reports produced in 2005 by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment www.greenfacts.org/biodiversity
(MA): Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Biodiversity Synthesis. in English, French, Dutch and Spanish
The Millennium Assessment was launched by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2001 to provide scientific information
concerning the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being and options for responding to those changes. It involved
over 1300 scientists from 95 countries and a partnership among several international organizations, including the Convention on
Biological Diversity, UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, Convention on Migratory Species,
five UN agencies, the World Bank, and IUCN.
Printed on recycled paper
The Biodiversity Synthesis Report, one of the main products of this work, responds to requests for information received through
the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and provides an overview of the links between the state of our ecosystems and the
biodiversity they contain. The full report is available at: www.millenniumassessment.org
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Concept & layout: beëlzePub
PARTNERS
The following partners teamed up to make this information available to a wider audience:
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Pictures: Grant V Faint, Alex L Fradkin, Messa, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
Countdown 2010 collaborates GreenFacts asbl/vzw, an inde- The UNEP World Conservation The World Conservation Union
closely with countries, regions, pendent non-profit organisation Monitoring Centre is the biodiver- (IUCN) brings together some
and civil society to help govern- based in Brussels, has prepared sity assessment and policy sup- 10 000 scientists and experts from
ments reduce biodiversity loss by this summary of the Biodiversity port arm of the United Nations 181 countries in a unique world-
2010. At the World Summit for Synthesis Report and published it Environment Programme, the wide partnership to protect biodi-
Sustainable Development and online. GreenFacts’ mission is to world's foremost intergovernmen- versity and work for the sustain-
other occasions, world leaders make complex scientific consen- tal environmental organization. able use of natural resources.
committed to achieve this 2010 sus reports on health and the For over twenty-five years the Within this framework, the IUCN
biodiversity target and thus to environment accessible to non- Centre has been undertaking sci- Regional Office for Europe in
meet the challenges outlined in specialists. Its summaries are entific research and providing Brussels has the mission to foster
this report. produced under the control of the practical policy advice to help and fortify a European network of
GreenFacts Scientific Board com- decision makers recognise the excellence in environmental
www.countdown2010.net posed of independent scientists. value of biodiversity and apply this research, policy and best practice.
info@countdown2010.net knowledge to all that they do.
Tel: +32 (0)2 739 0320 www.greenfacts.org www.iucneurope.org
2006@greenfacts.org www.unep-wcmc.org europe@iucn.org
Tel: +32 (0)2 211 34 88 Tel: +44 (0)1223 277314 Tel: +32 (0)2 732 8299
SPONSORS
This foldout has been produced with the kind support of
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Editeur responsable: Jacques de Selliers
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
DIRECTORATE GENERAL ENVIRONMENT