Biodiversity
The link between climate change and species loss is now well established. And biodiversity is essential to limit climate change.
Climate change is playing an increasingly important role in biodiversity loss. It has altered marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems around the world and led to the loss of local species, increased disease and caused mass die-offs of plants and animals, resulting in the first climate-related extinctions.
When human activities produce greenhouse gases, about half of the emissions remain in the atmosphere, while the other half is absorbed by land and oceans. These ecosystems – and the biodiversity they contain – are natural carbon sinks, providing nature-based solutions to climate change.
This is why the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was launched at COP15 in 2022. It introduces the 30×30 target, which aims to protect 30% of the Earth and restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030. The Framework estimates that an annual investment of $700 billion in biodiversity is needed to achieve the long-term goals.
For example, protecting, managing and restoring forests offers about two-thirds of the total mitigation potential of all nature-based solutions. Despite massive and continuing losses, forests still cover more than 30% of the planet’s land area.
Conserving and restoring natural areas, both on land and in water, is essential to limit carbon emissions and adapt to an already changing climate. Around a third of the greenhouse gas reductions needed over the next decade could be achieved by improving nature’s ability to absorb emissions. That is why our projects have a strong biodiversity focus.
Our projects focus on identifying and addressing biodiversity threats and engaging local communities and governments to protect ecosystems. By promoting sustainable resource use and habitat conservation, we aim to restore the biodiversity essential to life on Earth. Our holistic approach includes the creation of wildlife corridors, monitoring programmes, education and the promotion of ecosystem balance through the planting of mixed species that benefit all life forms and promote harmonious co-existence.