Importance Of Biodiversity: The Source Of Life

Biodiversity: The Source of Life

In our modern world, there is a fact that nobody can escape. We are in trouble and if we

do not change things, nobody will. We worry about global warming, poverty, hunger,

healthcare, but we neglect one main problem. This problem exists, but nobody sees it. Slowly

but surely, our world is dying. Species by species, life is disappearing because of us. Humans

have to understand that in order to secure our future in this planet we must first help those that

are in trouble because of our greed and unsustainability. Biodiversity is a main factor in the

sustenance and development of the world and human society. The loss of biodiversity is

imminent and if no change is made in the next 35 years,

According to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), biodiversity is the

variety of all forms of life, including genes, species, populations and ecosystems (Kasten, Liu

et al.). Biodiversity contains every living thing, including humans. It works in an

interdependent system. Every being depends on each other to survive. If one being disappears,

the web is weakened, but because there is balance, it remains in place (Williams, Scott, et al.).

One example of this is the Nitrogen Cycle. In the cycle, nitrogen is placed in the soil by bacteria.

Plants then use nitrogen to grow into mature organisms. Finally, animals and humans eat plants

and their droppings feed bacteria, which then renews the cycle by placing nitrogen in the

ground. Another well-known example is the relationship between bees and flowers. Bees need

flowers to get their food, pollen, while flowering plants need bees to pollinate them in order to

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reproduce. Humans are an influential part of the web of biodiversity, because they have the

potential to destroy the web entirely or to keep it in balance. This means that in this sense,

The following step is to support the

regional organizations, such as the WWF and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),

that have already started taking measures to ensure our planet’s life does not end (“Social

Aspects”). The next step is to change the focus of our economic models to one that fully values

the environment and all that it can provide for us (Kasten, Liu et al.). The key is to balance

world needs with the environmental stability of our planet. Failure to protect one species means

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the endangerment of all the species directly and indirectly connected to that one species

(Williams, Scott et al.). The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recommends the

following solutions to the survival of all life: establishing protected areas; rehabilitating

degraded ecosystems; preventing the introduction of new species; and securing that new

technology does not pose risks to the environment (“Action for Biodiversity”). All solutions

directed towards solving the problem of biodiversity have been provided, now we just have to

act.

In conclusion, the source of all life is dying and we are letting it happen. We