The Biodiversity Crisis
Biodiversity encompasses all plants, animals and microorganisms as well as the genetic variations within these. As we face a biodiversity crisis brought about by the combined impacts of climate change, invasive species, habitat loss, overharvesting, and pollution, it is of prime importance that we understand what, why, and how this is happening.
Biodiversity is what our natural world is made up of. Otherwise known as biological diversity, it is directly linked to today’s major challenges such as food security, climate and health. The Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP) has published ‘The Biodiversity Crisis’, a White Paper paper goes into the importance of biodiversity for a healthy and good living on our planet and the undeniable relation with water.
Water and biodiversity are closely intertwined, biodiversity and healthy ecosystems are necessary to safeguard water quality and quantity, and water is needed to keep ecosystems alive.
To build a climate resilient future and a healthy planet to live on, it is absolutely necessary to prioritise the protection and care of our biodiversity. The impacts of climate change is most visible and widely seen through water in terms of sea level rise, warming ocean temperatures, increased droughts and floods, extreme weather events and more. Many other events are also likely to happen that cannot yet be seen, and many changes are already happening, and will continue to happen, particularly in freshwater ecosystems.
The water sector is a leader in finding nature inclusive and enhancing solutions, and a vital player in making today’s society more resilient to the impacts of climate change. This White Paper features the work of NWP members Altenburg & Wymenga, Wageningen University and Research, and Dunea, each of which makes efforts to enhance biodiversity and increase awareness and understanding on the topic in their own fields of work.
Continue reading
Please request a copy of the NWP White Paper ‘The Biodiversity Crisis' using the form below.