Biodiversity and Sustainable Development

Biodiversity and Healthy Society

• The term "biodiversity" was coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1986.
• Biodiversity is defined as the vast variety of life forms on Earth, encompassing everything from single-celled organisms to complex multicellular ones.
• Biodiversity is essential for maintaining ecological balance and supporting human survival.
• Biodiversity is a source of vital goods and ecological services crucial to life, directly impacting food, agriculture, medicine, and industry.

Objectives

• Students should be able to ensure the sustainability of natural resources for future generations.
• Students should be able to protect wildlife and habitats while ensuring food security.
• Students should be able to strengthen environmental resilience and improve the quality of life.

Introduction

• Biodiversity encompasses all life forms on Earth.
• It's essential for ecological balance and human survival.
• It's a source of goods and ecological services crucial for life.

Types of Biodiversity

• Species diversity: A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce offspring capable of reproduction.
• Ecosystem diversity: Examines various ecosystems and their overall effects on both humans and the environment.
• Genetic diversity: Refers to the diversity within a species. Greater genetic diversity increases the chance of long-term survival.

Importance of Biodiversity for Society

• Ecosystem Services: Direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human well-being and survival. These include: provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.
• Health Benefits: Biodiversity is vital for human health in many ways including food, freshwater, disease protection, cultural benefits, and clean air.
• Impact on Human Health: Biodiversity loss can increase risks of emerging or spreading infectious diseases in animals, plants, and humans.

Threats to Biodiversity

• Habitat loss
• Habitat fragmentation
• Unsustainable resource use
• Invasive species
• Pollution
• Global climate change

Biodiversity and Human Health

• Biodiversity is crucial for human health and well-being, economic prosperity, food safety, and security.
• Healthy ecosystems provide clean air, support food security, freshwater access, and livelihoods.

Biodiversity Boosts the Economy

• Biodiversity provides several economic benefits, including food and nutrition security, medicine, clean air, and clean water.

Biodiversity Enhances Mental and Physical Well-being

• Biodiversity provides essential ecosystem services critical for physical, mental, and emotional well-being, including access to clean air and water, nutrient cycling, food production, medicinal resources, climate regulation, and disease control.

Biodiversity Ensures Ecosystem Services

• Ecosystem services rely on the variety of life on Earth to sustain ecosystem structure, processes, and key functions.

Biodiversity Provides Resilience to Global Challenges

• Biologically diverse communities are more likely to contain species resilient to ecosystem challenges. This increased resilience allows species to better adapt to environmental changes.

What We Can Do to Help

• Education: Volunteering, teaching life skills, supporting educational charities.
• Awareness: Using various methods (social media, events, education) to raise awareness about important issues and drive change.

Why Biodiversity is Important to Science and Technology

• Enhances scientific knowledge and drives solutions to global challenges.
• Drives innovation and supports sustainable technological development.