Biological diversity (“biodiversity”) is life!

WHAT IS “BIODIVERSITY”?
🧬 Variety of life on Earth, including diversity of species, genetic diversity within species, and diversity of ecosystems inhabited by species.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?
💚 Matters for intrinsic reasons (inherent value) and utilitarian reasons (benefits to humans).
🛟 Provides essential services (“ecosystem services”), like climate regulation, air/water purification, plant pollination, soil fertility, and nutrient cycling.
🖼️ Aesthetically valuable, enriching our lives by providing inspiration, recreation, and nature-connection.
👥 Socially valuable, holding spiritual, cultural, and historical significance for People everywhere.
💰 Economically valuable, supporting global systems like food production, trade, and security, and industries like ecotourism, agriculture, and fishing.

THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
⚠️ Our Planet faces an Extinction-Climate Crisis, which threatens the health and well-being of all life, both wild and human.
❗️1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction!
❣️ Many species have gone extinct since 1500, including about 1.5% of mammal and bird species and 3% of amphibians. Human destruction of nature is accelerating, and the extinction rate is going up; 1/3 of the total increase in species extinction risk has occurred since 1994!

WHAT CAN WE DO?
🙋‍♀️ Tackling the Crisis requires collective action, by governments and institutions, but every single person can be part of the fix. Together, we can stop biodiversity loss and restore balance to our Planet!

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
🎬 Take individual action. Start wherever you are. Any action is better than none!
🧐 Decide what actions are right for you. Ideas? ☆ Talk about biodiversity’s crucial role ☆ Advocate for and practice 3P Sustainability (People, Planet, Prosperity) ☆ Support species conservation efforts
👣 Take small steps and aim for progress not perfection.