Nature and us: why biodiversity matters

Today, the world celebrates the International Day for Biological Diversity. Humans need healthy and vibrant ecosystems for their own survival. They need food, water and clean air. But because of our destructive, utilitarian and exploitative attitude towards nature, we represent the biggest threat to biodiversity conservation. It is not just about preventing the extinction of some exotic species – it is about our own very survival, and that of many species we take for granted. However, we are creating the conditions of our own destruction: human actions are causing the current sixth mass extinction. The deforestation, destruction of natural habitats and pollution we are causing jeopardise the entire ecosystem Earth.

This is no longer a question of what planet we will leave to our children, but on what planet we will live very soon. To revert this trend and halt global biodiversity loss, we must first and foremost change our relationship with nature and recognise that our own survival and well-being depend on the survival and well-being of the ecosystems around us. On a political level, governments worldwide must translate their international commitments into concrete actions, and urgently.

With this dossier, the Progressive Post wants to highlight the absolute importance of the preservation of biodiversity, and the fact that it is an individual as well as a shared responsibility.