World Biodiversity Day – What it is and why it matters.

The 22^nd of May marks the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD), a global campaign built on one fundamental idea: that local action drives global impact. But before we can act, we need to understand what we stand to lose and why biodiversity quietly supports almost everything we depend on.

What is Biodiversity?

The United Nations defines biodiversity as “the variety of life on Earth, in all its forms, from genes and bacteria to entire ecosystems such as forests or coral reefs”. Greenpeace estimates that biodiversity is a “web” of around 8.7 million species – a result of billions of years of evolution and adaptation.

When the species within this web – from bacteria to animals and plants – are diverse and strong, our planet is healthy. And when our planet is healthy, so are we. Put simply, humanity’s wellbeing is dependent on the wellbeing of biodiversity.

Why is Biodiversity Important?

What biodiversity provides is endless. The World Health Organization estimates that 75% of global food crops rely on pollinators, that over 50% of modern medicines are derived from natural sources, that 2.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide is stored annually by our forests, and that 75% of global freshwater resources are dependent on healthy ecosystems.

A study analysing the interlinkages between biodiversity and climate change, food, water, energy, transport and health found that biodiversity has a largely positive influence on these systems – especially for climate, health, and energy (a) as shown in Figure 1.

This essentially means that nature supports the systems humans depend on to survive.

So Why do We Need a Global Campaign?

The same study also uncovered a concerning reverse. The very systems that biodiversity supports – particularly energy, water, transport, and food – are having a negative impact on biodiversity in return (b), as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 - Kim, et al. 2024.

In other words, while nature is working in our favour, human activity is working against it. Our use of energy and its infrastructure, the way we move and transport things, the food we eat and the systems that produce it, and how we manage our water and treat it, are all putting ecosystems and living things under pressure.

The consequences are clear: according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and its 2024 Report, global wildlife populations have decreased by 73% since 1970 with some experts calling this Earth’s sixth mass extinction.

How Does Local Action Matter for Global Impact? 

A global target has now been adopted to conserve 30% of the Earth’s land and sea by 2030 set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. However, meeting that target requires every actor including individuals, communities, businesses, and organisations across every sector and region.

The World Bank has shown that Indigenous Peoples and local communities who actively manage and protect local ecosystems are among the most effective guardians of nature. This means if every person, organisation, and community committed to even small changes, the cumulative impact would be enormous. Choosing local produce, making space for nature in outdoor areas, planting native species, conserving water, and respecting local habitats are not small acts when multiplied across millions of people.

Which is why the IDB global campaign calls on communities and organisations to help “halt and reverse biodiversity loss” through three simple pillars:

1.      Look and Learn: Start by building awareness – learning what biodiversity means, why it matters, and what challenges it faces in your local area. If you are reading this, you have already taken that first step. The next step is to explore what action looks like closer to home.

2.      Connect and Act: Individual action matters, but collective action is where real impact happens. Join a local or online group to share knowledge and collaborate on initiatives that make a tangible difference.

3.      And Share: Lastly, use whatever platform you have to spread the word. Awareness is the first step to change, and every voice counts.

Beyond the IDB global campaign, there are many other ways to protect biodiversity. For instance, NGOs in France have pushed back against projects harmful to biodiversity – and even won in court against the government on the topic of pesticide use, with the court finding fault in the State's pesticide homologation protocols, which are not up to date with scientific data.

Key Takeaways.

Biodiversity is the foundation of life and of the human systems we rely on every day. It provides clean air, fresh water, food, medicine, and a stable climate. And yet, it is under serious threat from the very activities that modern life depends on – with some experts considering the threat from biodiversity loss to be greater than that of climate change due to its irreversible nature and our dependence on pollination and soil health for food production.

As such, we have a duty to protect the systems we rely on to eat, drink and live in stable climate conditions. Individuals, communities, and businesses all have a role to play, and membership organisations are uniquely placed to lead that change. They can raise awareness of their sector’s impact on nature and champion the solutions available.

Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) is the free resource and network dedicated to net zero and sustainability for the membership sector. By joining CAFA, membership organisations can access the support and guidance needed to take climate action internally and with their members. Join CAFA today.