Environmental Education: Biodiversity Overview

Course description

From its early evolution to the current crisis, biodiversity has played an important role in our lives. This course introduces the concepts of evolution, extinction and ecosystem services. It examines the scientific data and examples of human activity driving the current biodiversity crisis. Finally, we consider practical actions at the governmental and individual levels for future generations and Nature’s intrinsic value.

This introductory conservation course explores the journey of biodiversity from its early evolution to the current crisis. First, you will learn what biodiversity is, how we can describe it at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels and the concepts of evolution, adaptation and extinction. By understanding these fundamental evolutionary ideas whereby species evolve or go extinct in response to environmental conditions, you will appreciate how rapid human-induced environmental change impacts global biodiversity today. Next, you will learn how biodiversity supports our survival by providing natural resources and ecosystem services ranging from pollination and flood protection to those that promote health and wellbeing. We will see how all species on Earth are linked in a complex interwoven web and how we need healthy functioning ecosystems for the survival of millions of species on Earth, including ours.

In 2019, one of the most comprehensive assessments of global biodiversity ever compiled was published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The report stated that of the estimated 8 million species today, one million are at risk of extinction, many within decades. Many scientists now believe that we have entered the sixth mass extinction event in the planet's history. The causes of previous mass extinction events included volcanic activity, meteor strikes, climate change and combinations of these. Today, the cause of biodiversity loss arises from the actions of one species: humans. The unsustainable consumption of natural resources is at the core of this issue, especially biodiversity loss, land use changes, over-exploitation of natural resources, pollution, the introduction of invasive alien species and climate change.

Scientific research shows that biodiversity and climate crises are both imminent and immense. We can still make the transformative change needed to avoid severe impacts if we quote Greta Thunberg, “Listen to the science.” Climate change is a significant threat to biodiversity. In turn, biodiversity resources such as oceans, wetlands, peatlands, grasslands and forests can help reduce the effects and protect against the impacts of climate change through processes including primary production and carbon sequestration, flood attenuation and storm surge protection. Our ancestors understood how reliant we are on nature for our survival. Part of the solution lies in rediscovering our connection to and reliance on Nature. By appreciating the natural world's staggering diversity, complexity and beauty, we can learn to respect and protect biodiversity.