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Five facts to make you the biodiversity buff at the brunch table

The big wigs are talking about biodiversity. You could be too. Here are some basic facts to stimulate your brain and help spread the word on one of the biggest crises of our time. Learn more about what’s at stake and the global goal to try to stop the decline. Become part of the solution.

© Angus Burns/WWF South Africa
A malachite sunbird perches on top of a pin cushion flowerhead in Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

These days, biodiversity is a buzzword that pops up whenever we talk about climate change. But did you know the term was only coined as recently as 1986, by an American biologist named Walter Rosen? He squished together the words ‘biological’ and ‘diversity’ to help us understand the great variety of living organisms on planet Earth.
 

1. What exactly is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, in all its forms, from animals and insects to bacteria to entire ecosystems such as forests or coral reefs. The biodiversity we see today is the result of 4.5 billion years of evolution. It refers to all these creatures and their genes, and the ecosystems they generate.
 
Think of it as an incredible interconnected tapestry of life: coral reefs teeming with fish, the trees of a rainforest and all the birds in the dawn chorus. Don’t forget the insects that pollinate our crops, tiny creatures that make our soils healthy and fertile, the list goes on …
 
‘But why can’t we just say ‘nature’?’ you may ask. Here’s why: ‘nature’ encompasses everything in the world that wasn’t made by us humans whereas ‘biodiversity’ refers to the variety of life.

© Angus Burns/WWF South Africa
This beautiful grassland in KwaZulu-Natal is an example of a natural landscape held in the balance by a great many species invisible to the human eye that work in unison.
2. Why should we make such a fuss of it?

Biodiversity forms the web of life we depend on for so many things – food, water, clothes, medicine, a stable climate, economic growth, among others. Basically, all living things work in balance with the non-living parts of nature (such as soil, air, and water). This interaction creates ecosystems that are the planet's support systems, providing everything required for survival.
 
What we humans would do well to remember is that each living thing, no matter how big or small, plays a role in keeping nature healthy and balanced. Without biodiversity, ecosystems wouldn’t work, and we humans would struggle to meet our basic needs like food, clean water and air. In short: variety isn’t just the spice of life. It’s the key ingredient!
 
If you’d like to understand more about the web of life, read our new report called Nature's Technicians

© WWF
This fascinating and beautifully illustrated report explains why saving wild animal species really is central to our survival.
3. What is biodiversity loss?

Biodiversity loss means a decrease in the variety of life on Earth. It happens when species of plants, animals and other organisms either go extinct or become very rare.

This places entire ecosystems in danger as all life forms are interconnected. Human activities are causing major biodiversity loss and recent research shows there’s been a catastrophic 73% decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations over just 50 years (1970-2020). By endangering other species, we are endangering ourselves because living organisms are interdependent.

One of the main causes of biodiversity loss is habitat loss (when we damage or destroy places where animals live) and the primary driver behind this is our human food system. Other main causes include overexploitation (taking too much from nature), pollution, climate change, invasive species and disease.
 

4. What on Earth is “30x30” and will it help prevent biodiversity loss?

Simply put, the “30x30” target is a global conservation initiative that aims to protect 30% of the Earth's land and marine areas by the year 2030. This target was chosen because scientific research shows that protecting at least this proportion of land and marine ecosystems is essential for halting biodiversity decline.

The goal is a key component of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), adopted during the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022 in Montreal. That sounds like a mouthful, but it basically means that countries agreed to prevent biodiversity loss by establishing protected areas, promoting nature-based solutions and addressing root causes of biodiversity loss.

© Thomas P Peschak
Marine ecosystems, a major component of a healthy balance in nature on planet Earth, depend on the sustained biodiversity for optimal functioning.
5. How far are South Africa and the world in reaching the “30x30” goal?

Global progress towards this goal is currently lagging significantly behind expectations. As of now, about 17% of terrestrial and only around 8% of marine areas are designated as protected. This indicates that substantial efforts are still required.

On a more positive note, of the three countries noted for their achievements towards the goal, two are in Africa, namely Democratic Republic of Congo and Gabon. The third is Colombia.

South Africa currently has 16% of its terrestrial land under formal protection and 5% of marine areas. This indicates a significant commitment but slow progress, with current projections indicating that the country may only reach 28% protection on land, and 10% for marine, by 2036.
 

Tanya Farber Photo
Tanya Farber, Communications Coordinator

Tanya Farber is an award-winning journalist who loves nature, photography and the written word.

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