It’s Not Too Late to Save Biodiversity.

Created By RISC | 1 year ago

Last modified date : 1 year ago

Our world loses 10,000 species each year, about 1,000 times the natural rate. About 34,000 plant and 5,200 animal species (1 in 8 birds) are set to disappear. Five species are currently poised to vanished: Amur leopard, black rhinoceros, Bornean orangutan, Cross River gorilla, and Sumatran elephant.​

Extinction is natural. But not at this pace. Humans are to blame. We invade and damage habitats, exploit natural resources, create waste and pollution. We’re changing global ecosystem and reducing biodiversity.​

If you follow RISC, you've probably heard the word biodiversity a lot. But let’s get to know it a bit better.​

The diversity of all living organisms on the globe, as well as natural patterns, is referred to as biodiversity.​

Biodiversity refers not only to flora and fauna but also tiny organisms, bacteria, fungi, ecosystems, and genetic differences across species. About 1.75 million species of living beings have been classified worldwide. They result from a billion years of evolution. As the foundation of the ecosystem, biodiversity is also a crucial feature that permits living organisms to endure as the global environment changes through time.​

So, what happens if biodiversity is lost?​

Biodiversity is fundamental to human life, from food to consumer and industrial products, medicines, and ecosystem services that prevent natural disasters, control pests, treat pollution. Biodiversity loss will have an impact on human health and the economic system that we’ll struggle to overcome.​

As biodiversity is so important, a United Nations meeting on the environment and development in 1992 resulted in 2 major international agreements: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to control and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the Convention on Biological Diversity, which established 22 May as an International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to create understanding, awareness, and boost biodiversity. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was created and headlined "From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity" in 2023.​

Research & Innovation for Sustainability Center (RISC) by MQDC recognizes the influence of human actions on biodiversity. We conduct research in biodiversity and the conservation and restoration of urban biodiversity with educational institutions, as well as government and corporate entities, to protect biodiversity and help the planet survive.​

Story by: Kotchakorn Rattanama, Biodiversity Researcher, RISC and Puttipong Thiranaw, Biodiversity Intern, Chiang Mai University​

References​
https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day​
https://www.unesco.org/en/days/biological-diversity​
https://www.cbd.int/idb/#:~:text=The%20United%20Nations%20has%20proclaimed,and%20awareness%20of%20biodiversity%20issues.​
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/international-day-biodiversity/​
https://www.bbc.com/thai/international-44236663​