Losing our biodiversity impacts a lot more than you think
Anyone familiar with what environment4change stands for, knows that we are avid supporters of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Sustainable Development Goals are: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
So, while not surprising to us, although still very much alarming was the release earlier this month (6 May 2019) of the United Nations Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Report* warning that up to one million species on the planet face extinction because of direct human activities, and this is derailing progress on goals to end critical social development issues such as global hunger and poverty.
“An ‘unprecedented’ loss of global biodiversity threatens the progress of more than 80 per cent of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and puts 1 million animal and plant species at risk of extinction”, a landmark scientific report has warned.
The assessment found that the world will likely fail to meet near 80% of the SDG targets as loss of species and land degradation damaged agriculture, lowering of economic growth, impacts to healthy oceans, well-being, economic equality, clean water and responsible use of resources.
IPBES chairman Sir Robert Watson said humans were “eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide”.
“At the moment, people move forward on the SDGs by running down our natural capital,”
“We have to make it much, much clearer that, if you want to have success on the SDGs, they must be underpinned by nature.” EJ Milner-Gulland, professor of biodiversity at Oxford University, UK
enviromnment4change’s belief and also stated within our WhitePaper, is that: Environmental success, seeing our shared planet cleaned, cleansed and rejuvenated, will not occur in isolation but in concert with other gigantic feats including, the reduction of global poverty for all and the removal of gender and race inequalities, just to name, two. The environment4change Team support and adhere to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as a blue print for a better, fairer and more sustainable World and Planet.
Although our focus is directed to the environment, we appreciate and take pride in knowing a cleaner planet goes someway to reducing inequalities for the poor as they often are at ‘the coal-face’ of behaviours injurious to their health. A single UN Goal, in isolation, cannot provide a more sustainable environment and habitat for mankind, not to mention the vast species of flora and fauna sharing and coexisting with mankind. It will take a steely determination on the 17 above global globes, in concert and we look forward to contributing what we can and help other likeminded people and organisation to ensure our kids enjoy a healthier and thus wealthier planet and a better promise of sustainability for their children going forward.
*The Report was compiled over three years by 145 scientists from 50 countries. The final report was voted on and approved at 3am on 4 May, after 45 hours of intense negotiation between IPBES member governments.
About The Sustainable Development Goals
“The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. These 17 Goals build on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to success on one will involve tackling issues more commonly associated with another.”