Biodiversity

The economic value of biodiversity is a well-established fact. Modern agriculture, which depends on new genetic stock from natural ecological systems, is now a $3 trillion global business; nature tourism generates some $12 billion worldwide in annual revenues. In the United States, the economic benefits from wild plants and animals comprise approximately 4.5% of the Gross Domestic Product. In 1988, worldwide commercial trade in wild plants (excluding timber) and animals was valued at $5 billion. That same year, the 20 best-selling drugs in the U.S., with combined revenues of about $6 billion worldwide, all relied on plants, microbes, and animals for their development. Each wild plant that provides the chemical basis for developing new drugs is projected to generate at least $290 million annually.

Biodiversity supports the ecosystem functions essential for life on earth. It provides products such as food, medicines and materials for industry. It is also at the heart of many cultural values. Biodiversity and functional ecosystems give resilience to the biosphere, but as biodiversity is degraded, communities and human society itself become more vulnerable because options for change are diminished. Biodiversity can be seen therefore as a life insurance policy for life its elf something especially needed in this time of fast paced global change. As the biological underpinnings of economic growth and the potential for prosperity are eroded, the prospects for achieving sustainable development are likewise reduced and global human security will be further threatened.
The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. Appropriate conservation and sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to any approach. Almost all cultures have in some way or form recognized the importance that nature, and its biological diversity has had upon them and the need to maintain it. Yet, p ower, greed and politics have affected the precarious balance.

A large number of living species, both plant and animal are currently threatened with extinction. The finding is supported by numerous observations in all continents and all walks of life. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), founded in 1948 and brings together governments, ONGs and expert-es, establishes a Red List of Threatened Species. Updated annually, this list contains 41 415 species of plants and animals, classifying them into eight categories based on the risk of extinction. The 2007 edition lists 16,306 species threatened in varying degrees and 65 species extinct in the wild. One in four mammals, one in eight birds, one third of all amphibians and 70% of all plants assessed are in danger.

Biodiversity is strongly affected by climate change so we need to make additional efforts to minimize the negative influence of other factors, such as over -exploitation, habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, and the spread of invasive alien species. This way we can ensure that ecosystems are less vulnerable and more resilient to the increasing threat posed by climate change. But climate change can also largely benefit from conserv ed biodiversity and particularly healthy ecosystems when these are placed at the very centre of the efforts to tackle climate change.