The global loss of biodiversity has been overshadowed by the climate crisis for many years. Now, however, biodiversity and its decline are in the spotlight, and the inextricable link between the twin crises is getting more traction.
But what is biodiversity, and why does it matter?
Biodiversity is literally a contraction of the words ‘biological diversity’ and it is the name given to the enormous variety of life on Earth. Biodiversity supports everything in nature that we need to survive. This means food, water, air, clothing and more. Every turn of the tap, and every mouthful of food is reliant on the wonder-web of biodiversity.
Unfortunately, as humankind has advanced, we have become more and more disconnected from nature. As towns and cities grow, nature is displaced to such an extent that a large proportion of the world don’t have any connection with the natural world beyond the wonders brought to our screens by Sir David Attenborough and his team on a Sunday evening.
As nature has been depleted by the intensification of human activities, each generation has become used to seeing less and less biodiversity, each believing what they see today to be the ‘norm’. This Shifting Baseline Syndrome, also referred to as ‘environmental generational amnesia’, is a significant obstacle to tackling biodiversity loss. The worrying extent of loss is often not fully recognized until considerable damage has been done. Staggeringly, since 1970, the WWF’s Living Planet report found an average 69% decline in global populations of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
Every business has a direct link to nature. The World Economic Forum states that the industries most highly-dependent on nature generate 15 per cent of global GDP ($13 trillion), with moderately-dependent industries generating 37 percent ($31 trillion) of GDP. Business as usual is, therefore, no longer an option.
Adopting nature-positive approaches in business helps not only protect and enhance biodiversity but can also lower project costs, manage regulatory requirements and risks, mitigate natural disaster risks, engage community stakeholders, enhance reputation, achieve sustainability goals, and enhance employee health and wellbeing. The risks associated with ignoring biodiversity loss are significant.
If your business is yet to fully understand its impact on nature, the Nature Positive team can provide baseline biodiversity assessments and biodiversity footprinting, for both your direct operations and value chain, to provide you with a strategic understanding of the size of your impact. Determining the number of ecosystem services used across your business means you can take meaningful action to become nature positive.
About Nature Positive
The Nature Positive team are environmental business consultants that can help put nature at the heart of your organisation. To find out more about the other services we offer, please visit our services page or get in touch.
Banner image by Myriam Zilles on Unsplash