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A pandemic allows for a “what if” moment

How to champion biodiversity as the world stands still

May 23^rd, 2020

Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus COVID-19, the United Nations had declared 2020 a ‘Super Year’ for biodiversity.

Champions in government, inspired researchers, and motivated people from all walks of life were set to gather at a number of international conventions to find ways to stop the rising tide of species extinction, and damage to natural systems.

On average, there has been a 60 percent decline in the size of populations of animals and fish in the last 50 years, and, if we do not take swift action, we stand to lose a million species within the next 30 years.

A pandemic allows for a “what if” moment

The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus, which is believed to have spilled over from wild animals to humans due to disturbance to natural systems, has emphasized the urgency of addressing biodiversity loss.

The root causes of the significant increase in zoonotic diseases—those that jump from animals to humans—and public health emergencies, can be traced to the complex interplay between the effects of climate change, the destruction of natural areas, and aspects of the illegal wildlife trade.

From the Black Death, to the 1918 Spanish flu, to Ebola, pandemics always change societies in fundamental and profound ways.

In 2020, the coronavirus is telling us, loud and clear, that the way we live and design our societies is not sustainable. It's a valuable opportunity.

How did we get here?

There have been five mass extinctions in Earth’s history, all from natural causes.

The one we face now is largely from the actions of just one—homo sapiens. Exacerbated by climate change, we are wiping out our fellow creatures by polluting and destroying our shared homes. The consequences are staggering.

A recent intergovernmental report finds that 75 percent of Earth’s land surface is “significantly” altered, and 85 percent of vital wetlands have been lost.

Thirty-two million hectares of forest were felled between 2010 and 2015.

One third of the Earth’s surface is now used for agriculture and it is estimated that, by weight, 97 percent of the living creatures occupying the land surface of the planet are either humans or farm animals and only four percent are wild mammals.

Germany has lost 75 percent of flying insects in the last 25 years.

What's at stake?

“We are planting the oxygen you will breathe in the future.” - Carmen Rodriguez, Colombian forester

Literally everything is at stake: the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink.

Three billion people depend on agriculture, forests and fisheries for their food and livelihoods—and ongoing loss of species will make food supplies ever-more fragile. Bees pollinate 70 of the 100 crop species that feed 90 percent of the world.

Four billion people rely on natural medicines, and 70 percent of cancer drugs are synthesized from natural products.

UNDP champions biodiversity in all its forms

In the last 20 years UNDP’s ecosystems and biodiversity programme has supported more than 3,000 protected areas and more than 680 million hectares of land and sea.

The Equator Prize recognizes outstanding efforts on behalf of indigenous communities all over the world to protect and sustain their natural environment.

Our partnerships are protecting wildlife in Angola, traditional barley strains in Ethiopia and in Jamaica, caring for an ancient lizard once thought extinct.

We are using innovative financing to protect Lebanon’s ancient and precious Cedar trees, and satellite data in Belize to ensure the region’s last unbroken stretch of broadleaf forest remains a wildlife corridor.

In Central Asia we are putting resources into protecting the snow leopard—one of the world’s most endangered big cats.

Ancient and vital wetlands are being brought back to life in Belarus, which once again can claim its reputation as “the lungs of Europe”.

Protecting traditional ways of life and ancestral knowledge—so indigenous and local communities can remain at the forefront of the fight against illegal mining, logging, and animal poaching.

Supporting the Seychelles as it unveils an ambitious plan to expand its protected ocean territory.

A hinge year

“Our economies, our societies, our communities have to rediscover how to live with nature. And how they do that in the coming years will in large part determine whether the magnitude of pandemics, natural disasters, crises become more and more intense, or whether we can re-establish a degree of coexistence with nature that actually stabilizes our communities, our societies, our economies, and therefore becomes a way of thinking about the future of development with different parameters.” – Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator

Although pollution levels and demand for oil has dropped since the virus broke out, COVID-19 doesn’t necessarily provide a silver lining for the environment—and a sustainable future does not include economic misery for millions.

But by setting the world to ‘pause’ the pandemic has offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to fully assess challenges and the opportunities.

It has glaringly exposed weaknesses in our societies, governance systems and economies and presented a brutal real-time example of the consequences of destroying the natural world.

It has starkly reminded us that we need to re-think our relationship with the natural world, fundamentally change our economies and the way we produce food and other goods and ensure that global agreements are up to the enormity of this challenge.

This year is more critical than ever for making progress on the climate emergency and halting biodiversity loss. The recovery must respect the rights of future generations. The better we manage our ecosystems, the better we manage human health. It’s critical to restore our forests and oceans and invest in how we manage land and protected areas.