TTL_BOOK_v8 30.07.25 - Flipbook - Page 7
BIODIVERSITY
WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY AND WHY IT MATTERS?
Biodiversity is described by the United Nations as the variety of life on
Earth and the natural patterns it forms. It’s the web of life that makes
the Earth habitable, from insects and fungi to entire ecosystems such
as rainforests or coral reefs. As humans we are both part of it and
dependent on it.
Most of us simply know it as “nature”. And it is all around us. Woven
into our everyday lives. From the food we put on our plates to the
cotton we use to make the clothes we wear, from the water we drink
to the medicine we rely on to cure us when we are unwell. The
countryside hikes we take at the weekend to exercise and relax, the
昀氀owers we enjoy bringing to our loved ones, the birds we like to hear
singing, announcing the arrival of spring. Nature provides for us,
ensuring our health and wellbeing. And in order to do so, it needs to
be healthy as well.
The word ecosystem refers to a community of organisms existing
together and interacting in a particular unit of space. If we think about
it on a planetary scale, we are part of the ecosystem too. Yet we seem
to have forgotten it. Over the past centuries we’ve gradually removed
ourselves from nature, living in increasingly urban environments,
no longer knowing where our food and water and clean air come
from. We’re taking it all for granted, overexploiting and draining the
natural world. Disrupting the delicate balance of the ecosystems we
are very much part of, and so crucially rely on. It’s time to remember
that we are nature too. Protecting biodiversity also means protecting
ourselves.
For example, did you know that more people have been to the moon
than to the deepest part of the ocean? Sometimes it feels like we’ve
barely scratched the surface. We still have so much to learn, so much
to discover.
And yet all of it is at risk of disappearing. Human activity is
increasingly taking its toll on the natural world, and scientists say
we’re in the midst of the sixth mass extinction – the biggest loss of
life since the dinosaurs. A report by the WWF recently found that the
average size of wildlife populations has fallen by 73% since 1970. Over
a million species are at risk of disappearing, many within decades.
We’re running out of time, but it is not too late. There is still hope.
All around the globe, concerned citizens, activists, scientists,
philanthropists, artists and storytellers are joining forces to demand
change. People from all walks of life, across all generations are
coming together to defend the natural world, hoping to halt and
maybe even reverse biodiversity loss. We hope this collection of
images celebrating the beauty of the Earth will inspire you to join
the movement to build a better future. A future where as a collective
we 昀椀nally recognize we cannot survive without other species and
healthy ecosystems. A future where we treat other forms of life with
kindness and respect. A future where we can thrive together on our
shared home planet.
The biodiversity we see today is the result of 4.5 billion years
of evolution. Millions and millions of species of plants, insects,
mammals – all existing in harmony and forming incredibly complex
ecosystems, some of which we haven’t fully understood yet.
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