International Day for Biological Diversity: Preserving the marvels of our planet
22 May 2023
6 mins
RWS has a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, and one of the very important dates in our annual sustainability calendar is 22 May, the International Day for Biological Diversity.
Established in 1992 by the United Nations to honor the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity, this significant occasion serves as a reminder of the essential role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth, and emphasizes the intrinsic value of biodiversity. RWS colleagues around the world pay tribute in various ways, such as tree-planting, caring for home gardens, biodiversity fund-raising and visiting local botanical gardens to learn more about the wonders of nature. One of our talented photographer colleagues, Pierre-Adrien Weydert, regularly shares his love for wildlife with beautiful posts to our company intranet, reminding us all to stop, look and listen as we go about our day.
Mass extinction
Underlying all the appreciation and wonder as we celebrate biodiversity on this day is the very disturbing fact that we are currently witnessing the Earth’s sixth mass extinction event, marked by an alarming rate of species loss. Scientists estimate that the current extinction rate is between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate without humans in the picture. The World Wildlife Fund’s 2022 Living Planet Index reported an average 69% decline in monitored wildlife populations around the world between 1970 and 2018. Biodiversity loss has five primary causes: habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation (extreme hunting and fishing pressure), pollution, climate change associated with global warming. All of these causes derive from human activity.
Why biodiversity matters
No living species is an island. They all exist as part of delicately balanced ecosystems, and each species has a function. When a species population falls to endangered levels or becomes extinct, other species together with the overall ecosystem are impacted.
One of the most high-profile population decreases is among bees. Bees and other pollinators play a vital role in crop pollination, which is crucial for global food production. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops — which supply about 90% of the world’s nutrition — are pollinated by bees. In the US, the number of bee colonies per hectare has declined by 90 percent since 1962. The major causes are pesticides and loss of habitat. The resulting decline in bee populations pose a serious threat to our food supply. The UN has also designated an annual World Bee Day on 20 May.
The decline in bee population is a known and visible threat to humans, as is the decline in fish and other populations. But biodiversity is important, not only for the effects that we know of already, but also for those we don’t. There is so much to learn from nature that could be beneficial or even life-saving for humans. A quarter (25%) of all modern Western drugs are made from Amazon rainforest plants, but only 5% of Amazon rainforest plants have been studied for medicinal benefits. Meanwhile, over 200,000 acres of rainforest are burned every day, 150 acres lost every minute of every day - 78 million acres every year. That's an incredible loss when you think about it.
We’ll never know what potential medicines were lost with all those acres.
Similarly, as animal species die off at unprecedented rates, we also lose many learning opportunities. In Ed Yong’s book, 'An Immense World,' he points out that there are so many variations in the way that different species experience and use sight, sound, smell, touch, and other senses. They each have access to a particular slice of the world that we don’t fully understand yet. In some cases, animals have inspired important human inventions and design concepts. That’s true for known species…and scientists estimate there are still over five million species yet to be found. That is, if mass extinction doesn’t get them first.
Global efforts to combat biodiversity loss
Thomas Lovejoy, along with E.O. Wilson, coined the term “biological diversity,” in 1980, and Lovejoy went on to be acknowledged as 'the godfather of biodiversity,' before his death in 2021.
There are many other heroes of biodiversity; some are celebrities like Sir David Attenborough, some organizations. Their collective work has helped raise awareness over the years to the point when in 2016, when the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals were created, biodiversity was included in SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land). Most recently, in December 2022, 196 countries adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a groundbreaking agreement to set global targets for biodiversity.
Global efforts to protect biodiversity include reducing carbon emissions, minimizing use of pesticides and plastics, and protecting and restoring forests and other wildlife habitats. The latter includes creation of 'wildlife corridors,' such as the Sawantwadi-Dodamarg Wildlife Corridor in India, Oslo’s Bee Highway and the Netherlands’ many 'ecoducts.' These corridors are strips of wilderness land, usually between 50 and 200 feet wide, that serve as traveling avenues for wildlife species between regular habitat areas. The corridors provide important sources of food and cover for many species and enable safe passage across human-made obstacles like roads, train tracks and bridges.
A relatively recent area of discussion in biodiversity is around reducing light pollution planet-wide. In addition to contributing to climate change, the quantity of artificial lights we use at night also disrupts circadian rhythms – both human and animal. It interferes with birds’ migratory patterns and with trees’ seasonal cycles.
Luckily, light pollution is reversible, and cities are updating streetlights to reduce the span of light and replacing existing infrastructure with affordable and environmentally friendly LED technology.
Small steps lead to big results in Brno
One example of how we, as a company, are tackling the biodiversity challenge can be seen in our Brno office in the Czech Republic.
In 2019, we consolidated three offices in Brno into one state-of-the-art flagship office with one of the most advanced sustainability certifications in the world. Combining cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly construction, biodiversity and energy efficiency, the Brno office serves as an inspiration and model for our future growth. Water monitoring sensors have been installed to flag any leaks; printing has been reduced by moving toward digital and motion sensors help reduce wasted lighting and energy. Recycling has also been extended to include aluminum and glass. All products purchased for the office are sourced from eco-friendly and local suppliers, and energy is only sourced from green suppliers.
Biodiversity is demonstrated across the grounds, which supports a wide variety of plants, birds and bugs. Large, mature pine and fruit trees are planted in the courtyard and, to encourage pollination, beehives have been installed on the building’s roof. Click here to read the case study.
How you can help preserve biodiversity:
- As an individual, you too can help fight light pollution, by turning off unnecessary lights at night.
- You can also minimize the use of single-use plastics and actively participate in cleaning up plastic and other trash in natural areas.
- For those with green thumbs, you can plant a tree or create a garden with native plants that provide food and shelter for local wildlife.
- Avoid using pesticides and opt for organic gardening practices. Incorporate bee-friendly plants to support pollinators.
- You can avoid purchasing any articles, whether food, clothing or decorative, made from endangered species (which is against the law in many countries anyway).
- And there is always your money and your voice – you can contribute to biodiversity organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund or The Nature Conservancy.
- You can learn about the biodiversity initiatives undertaken by your local community and actively engage with them, as well as vote for candidates who support conservation efforts.
There are many other initiatives you can take to help support biodiversity in your home and environment. What are some of your favourites? How will you celebrate the International Day of Biodiversity?
Jessica Roland
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