Sustainable development is impossible without conserving biodiversity, as the two are deeply interconnected
Each year in May, the world marks the International Day for Biological Diversity — a reminder that our lives are inextricably linked to the natural world around us. In an era of rapid technological advancement and urban expansion, we are being called to re-examine a fundamental truth: human survival depends entirely on the health of Earth’s ecosystems. Nature is not a distant concern; it is the source of the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, the medicines we rely on, and even the clothes on our backs and the energy that fuels our homes. Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is often understood as the sheer variety of life forms on the planet — from plants and animals to fungi and microorganisms. But it goes deeper. It includes genetic diversity within species, such as the different breeds of livestock or varieties of crops, and the richness of ecosystems, from rainforests and coral reefs to lakes, deserts, and farmland. These systems are not just scenic backdrops.
They are, quite literally, the operating system of life. Yet, that operating system is faltering.
One million species are now threatened with extinction. Three-quarters of the land-based environment and two-thirds of the marine environment have been significantly altered by human activity. These changes are not without consequence. When biodiversity is in crisis, humanity is in crisis. The effects are already evident. Fish, a critical source of animal protein for over three billion people, are disappearing due to overfishing and ocean degradation. Over 80 per cent of the global diet depends on plants, yet the genetic diversity of our crops is shrinking. And in many rural communities across the developing world, traditional plant-based medicines — the primary source of healthcare for up to 80 per cent of the population — are becoming harder to find. Biodiversity is not just about saving tigers or whales; it’s about preserving the systems that make human life possible. Moreover, biodiversity loss threatens our collective health.
When ecosystems are degraded, the natural buffers that prevent diseases from spreading between animals and humans collapse. In recognition of this urgency, the global community came together in December 2022 to adopt the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This ambitious agreement sets out 23 measurable targets to be achieved by 2030 and five long-term goals for 2050. Among the immediate goals are restoring at least 20 per cent of degraded ecosystems and cutting the spread of invasive alien species by half. The framework envisions a future in which humanity lives in harmony with nature — a world where development and conservation go hand in hand. This year’s Biodiversity Day theme, “Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development,†emphasises that the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals are not parallel agendas but deeply interconnected. We cannot hope to end poverty, ensure food security, or build healthy societies without protecting the ecosystems that support them. As we look to the remaining five years before 2030, the message is clear: the time to act is now and everyone has a role to play.
