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When fossil fuels are burned, they release large amounts of CO2, a greenhouse gas, into air.

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Consequences:

Social: Climate change is exacerbating inequality around the world, leading to droughts, floods and other disasters that cause the displacement of whole communities.

Environmental:Further sea level rise, extreme weather, biodiversity loss and species extinction, as well as food scarcity, worsening health and poverty for millions of people worldwide.

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Biodiversity loss refers to the decline or disappearance of biological diversity.

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Biodiversity loss, a risk for the environment and for humanity

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The planet’s biodiversity is under threat and the main culprit is the one who, paradoxically, depend on it most: human being. Slowing down biodiversity loss, understood as the reduction or disappearance of the variety of living beings that inhabit the planet, is one of humanity’s great challenges. Below, we review the causes, consequences and possible solutions.

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"I understand there may be a biodiversity crisis, but how does that affect me?"

Well.

You see.

It's like this...

Biological diversity is the resource upon which families, communities, nations and future generations depend. It is the link between all organisms on earth, binding each into an interdependant ecosystem, in which all species have their role. It is the web of life.

The Earth's natural assets are made up of plants, animals, land, water, the atmosphere AND humans! Together we all form part of the planet's ecosystems, which means if there is a biodiversity crisis, our health and livelihoods are at risk too.

But we are currently using 25% more natural resources than the planet can sustain As a result species, habitats and local communities are under pressure or direct threats (for example from loss of access to fresh water).

Biodiversity underpins the health of the planet and has a direct impact on all our lives.

Put simply, reduced biodiversity means millions of people face a future where food supplies are more vulnerable to pests and disease, and where fresh water is in irregular or short supply.

For humans that is worrying.

Very worrying indeed.

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How does Biodiversity loss affect me and everyone else?

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How does Biodiversity loss affect me and everyone else?

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Consequences:

Social: Millions of people face a future where food supplies are more vulnerable to pests and disease, and where fresh water is in irregular or short supply.

Environmental:Lowers an ecosystem's productivity and lowers the quality of the ecosystem's services

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Consequences:

Social: Can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems' ability to adapt to climate change, directly affecting millions of people's livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being.

Environmental:Chokes marine wildlife, damages soil and poisons groundwater, and can cause serious health impacts.

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Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues, as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products overwhelms the world’s ability to deal with them.

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Every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes. Plastic pollution is a global problem. Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas. Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change, directly affecting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being. UNEP’s body of work demonstrates that the problem of plastic pollution doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The environmental, social, economic and health risks of plastics need to be assessed alongside other environmental stressors, like climate change, ecosystem degradation and resource use.

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The world’s plastic pollution crisis, explained

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Much of the planet is swimming in discarded plastic, which is harming animal and possibly human health. Can plastic pollution be cleaned up?