Welcome to Planet Earth

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.

Welcome to planet Earth where variety of animals and plants makes this planet truly wonderful. Just one of the many species that inhabits the earth with its amazing characteristics  is the Chameleon. 

Insects without eyelids and elephants with their great sense of smell are just few examples. Added to the wonders of the earth is its diverse ecosystems, such as deserts, oceans, rivers, mountains, marshlands, forests, and grassy plains which are specifically suited to the creatures and plants that live there.

Sadly, the fast changes to an ecosystem's environment can be put into danger, its native plants and animals. Here is what the author for Chapter 1, Christine Gibb said, Verbatim.

The variety of animals and plants on Earth is truly wondrous. Moreover, its diverse ecosystems, such as deserts, oceans, rivers, mountains, marshlands. forests, and grassy plains are specifically suited to the creatures and plants that live there. But changes to an ecosystems environment can spell doom for its native plants and animals, and unfortunately, this is happening all too fast today. Many species are at risk of disappearing entirely. While extinction has always happened as a natural part of a gradual evolutionary process, the current rate of extinction of animals and plants is thought to be hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of times faster than that brought about by natural evolutionary processes.

Biodiversity experts say that nowadays most extinctions are caused by human activity, such as deforestation, mining, conversion of land, building dams, roads and cities, over fishing, and other activities that lead to habitat destruction, climate change, and pollution. So much so that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has 5 689 entries on its endangered species list (www.iucnredlist.org), many of whom might be familiar to you like species of gorillas, orangutans, turtles, eagles, whales, cranes, seals, foxes, bears, and tigers but also many species of plants, birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Most of us believe that all life has the right to exist, and many of us also feel a personal loss when wildlife is damaged or destroyed. However, loss of Earth’s biodiversity affects us in material ways too. In fact, biodiversity is the foundation on which human life depends. Plants and animals provide food and medicine, rivers provide precious drinking water, and trees absorb greenhouse gases and protect land from erosion. Damaging natural ecosystems may also affect natural processes, such as flood control and crop pollination, among others. We invite you to dive into this comprehensive youth guide for in-depth insights into biodiversity, the benefits it provides to us, the threats it faces, and what actions we can take to protect it. The guide is richly illustrated, including award-winning photos taken by youth from around the world as part of the ‘See the Bigger Picture’ contest that supported The Green Wave, a global campaign promoting biodiversity. 

At the end of the guide there is a useful tool for setting up an action plan and undertaking your own biodiversity project, with Six Simple Steps towards Change. Take inspiration from far-reaching projects of other young global leaders and their innovative projects. At the end of each chapter and in the annexes, you will find additional resources, assignments for further learning about your surroundings, and other useful information.