Losing biodiversity has numerous negative consequences for humans, both directly and indirectly. Some of these consequences include:
Reduced ecosystem services: Biodiversity supports a wide range of ecosystem services that are crucial for human well-being, such as pollination, water purification, climate regulation, and soil formation. A decline in biodiversity can impair these services, affecting agriculture, water supply, and air quality.
Loss of genetic resources: Biodiversity provides a vast reservoir of genetic resources that can be used for the development of new crops, medicines, and other products. Losing biodiversity can limit our ability to discover and utilize these valuable resources.
Food insecurity: Biodiversity plays a critical role in maintaining food security by supporting a diverse range of plant and animal species, which contributes to the resilience of agricultural systems. Loss of biodiversity can lead to a decline in the availability and stability of food supplies.
Increased vulnerability to natural disasters: Healthy ecosystems with high biodiversity are often more resilient to disturbances such as storms, floods, and droughts. Loss of biodiversity can make ecosystems more susceptible to these events, putting human populations at greater risk.
Economic consequences: Biodiversity loss can have significant economic impacts by affecting industries such as agriculture, forestry, and tourism. These impacts can lead to job losses, reduced income, and decreased economic growth. Biodiversity loss has financial impacts: The cost of recent losses of ecosystem services has been estimated at USD 4 trillion–USD 20 trillion per year. Land degradation is estimated to cost USD 6 trillion–USD 11 trillion per year, and oceanic degradation USD 200 billion per year.
Human health: Biodiversity loss can negatively affect human health in various ways, such as by increasing the prevalence of vector-borne diseases (e.g., malaria and Lyme disease) and reducing the availability of medicinal resources.
Loss of cultural values: Biodiversity is often an essential aspect of cultural heritage and identity for many communities. Losing biodiversity can erode these cultural values and negatively impact people's sense of place and well-being.
Reduced capacity for adaptation to climate change: Biodiversity plays a crucial role in helping ecosystems adapt to changing environmental conditions. Loss of biodiversity can make ecosystems and human societies less resilient to the impacts of climate change, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities.
Overall, the loss of biodiversity has far-reaching consequences for human well-being, posing significant risks to food security, economic stability, and public health. It is essential to take proactive measures to conserve and restore biodiversity to ensure the long-term sustainability of our planet and its inhabitants.