What is biodiversity and what are its examples?

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We often forget that humans are neither the only nor the numerically dominant species on Earth. The proper functioning of our planet depends on the care for biodiversity. What is biodiversity and how can your company support it?

Biodiversity – Introduction and Definition

Biodiversity, also known as biological diversity, is a broad concept used to describe the entirety of the animal and plant world. Biological diversity refers to the living nature (biocoenosis) and is inseparably linked to the non-living biotope, the place of its occurrence. Biocoenosis and biotope together form an ecosystem, which includes humans as well.

Caring for diversity can be associated with the activities of various NGOs (non-governmental organizations), but in reality, we all have an impact on it—from individual people to large corporations operating on a transnational scale. Often, it is the activities of companies that leave a clearly visible and, unfortunately, negative mark on biodiversity, destroying it and inhibiting its development and regeneration.

What is biodiversity? Key Elements and Importance

Biodiversity is crucial for the ability of life on Earth to function and its quality. It is important to remember that diverse species of plants and animals coexist in close interdependence, but humans, often unknowingly, benefit greatly from this coexistence. Thanks to a functioning ecosystem, we obtain natural resources and substances for medicine production. Plants also produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, slowing down climate change caused by humans. We often overlook the relaxation opportunities that biodiversity offers us.

It is estimated that about 60,000 plants are currently used in medicine, and up to 30% of agricultural crops require pollination by insects. Such data shows that without biodiversity, we are doomed as a species.

Grassroots initiatives aimed at protecting biological diversity undertaken by enterprises are a key element of the whole puzzle. Unfortunately, legislative processes at the national (and even more so at the community) level often proceed too slowly to expect tangible results before it is too late. By caring for diversity, you invest in diverse development and increase the chance that future generations will also be able to enjoy the beauty of nature and derive measurable economic benefits from it.

Examples of Biodiversity in the World – Diverse Ecosystems and Species

The greatest diversity of species and ecosystems is found in tropical areas. In Brazil alone, there are over 55,000 different plant species. Extremely high diversity is also recorded in mountain ecosystems. Ecologists, however, warn that the number of endemic species, those with a very limited range of occurrence, is increasing over time. These include marine iguanas, Galápagos tortoises, lemurs, jaguars, platypuses, and kangaroos, but the list will continue to grow over the years.

Several factors influence the species diversity of ecosystems, including:

• Climate;
• Water availability;
• Terrain formation;
• The intensity of human activity.

Examples of species diversity are best illustrated through examples. In the Tatra National Park, the number of animal species is estimated at around 8,000, and plant species at 1,000. While this may seem like a lot, compared to the Amazon jungle, where one-quarter of all Earth's species are found, it is just a drop in the ocean.

Human Impact on Biodiversity – Threats and Conservation Actions

Although the European Union and other organizations actively work to find ways to protect biological diversity (e.g., through the creation of Natura 2000 areas), a gradual decline in biodiversity has been observed for years. Unfortunately, this has a cascading nature, as individual species are interconnected. Removing one link from the ecosystem chain causes another to disappear over the years, and then another. Factors responsible for the loss of biodiversity include:

• Changes in land use (e.g., urbanization, deforestation);
• Exploitation of natural resources;
• Climate change and environmental pollution caused by human activities;
• Introduction of invasive alien species.

Businesses that rely on non-renewable, conventional energy sources and emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere are also one of the causes of the gradual destruction of the environment.

Conservation actions can be taken at several levels – international, national, and local. When considering the introduction of a strategy aimed at environmental protection, it is worth analyzing the costs and potential benefits and losses resulting from such actions. Certainly, ecological initiatives entail significant expenses, but they are important for entrepreneurs for many reasons. What can your company do to contribute to securing biodiversity?

• Purchase electricity from renewable sources by signing a PPA agreement with a producer that generates electricity from photovoltaics or wind power plants;
• Organize transportation using electric vehicles to reduce the carbon footprint;
• Increase self-consumption by installing energy storage, hydrogen boilers, or EV charging stations;
• Educate employees about environmental protection;
• Support ecological actions, e.g., by planting trees with a portion of the money obtained from the sale of goods and services.

It is important to ensure that the implemented actions bring real and measurable ecological benefits. Otherwise, the company may be accused of greenwashing. Actions taken by the European Commission and national competition and consumer protection authorities against 20 airlines accused of pretending to be ecological prove that such situations occur¹.

Biodiversity in the Light of ESG Reporting

Supporting biodiversity is not just general declarations about the need to protect the natural environment, but also specific requirements for companies subject to ESG reporting. The ESRS standards consist of many elements and include a segment called E4 – Biodiversity and Ecosystems. It provides for 6 disclosures:

• Transformation plan for ecosystems and biodiversity;
• Policy related to biodiversity and ecosystems;
• Actions related to biodiversity and ecosystems;
• Goals related to biodiversity and ecosystems;
• Impact indicators related to biodiversity change;
• Potential financial impacts, risks, and opportunities for activities related to biodiversity and ecosystems.

Companies for which environmental aspects are important from the ESG perspective will need to include E4 in their annual reporting. Check if this applies to you as well!

Biologists often compare the loss of biodiversity to randomly removing rivets from an airplane wing. Up to a certain point, the aircraft flies, but no one knows when it will fall². Remember that no one knows how much biodiversity must decrease for the ecosystem to stop functioning. It may be 80%. Or it may be only 5 or 10%. Therefore, it is not worth delaying actions aimed at protecting nature because it may turn out that it will soon be too late.

1. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_2322

2. https://www.gov.pl/web/wprpo2020/strategia-na-rzecz-bioroznorodnosci-2030 [Działania w obronie interesów natury. Kompendium informacyjne]