Source: Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, 2013, Christine Gibb, CBD and FAO,
"The Youth Guide to Biodiversity" 1st Edition (Chapter 1) Youth and
United Nations Global Alliance. Reproduced with permission.
Chapter 1. Verbatim
These ecosystem goods and services provide direct and indirect benefits, including the ones shown above. All life on Earth provides us with the food we eat, cleans the air we breathe, filters the water we drink, supplies the raw materials we use to construct our homes and businesses, is part of countless medicines and natural remedies, and many other things.
Biodiversity helps to regulate water levels and helps to prevent flooding. It breaks down waste and recycles nutrients, which is very important for growing food. It protects us with “natural insurance” against future unknown conditions brought about by climate change or other events.
Many people also depend on biodiversity for their livelihoods and in many cultures natural landscapes are closely linked to spiritual values, religious beliefs and traditional teachings. Recreational activities are also enhanced by biodiversity. Think about when you go for a walk in the woods or along a river. Would it be as nice as if there was nothing but concrete buildings all around?
Biodiversity is what enables ecosystems to continue to provide these benefits to people. As biodiversity is lost, we lose the benefits that ecosystems provide to people. This is why sustaining biodiversity is very intimately related to sustainable human development.
Ecosystem services are further explained in Chapter 5 and Chapters 10 to 13 will further investigate the relationship between humans, biodiversity and sustainable development, and what different groups are doing to protect biodiversity
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