Background
The natural world – land, forests, habitats and ecosystems - support all life on the planet. Our food systems, nutrition, and health depend biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. However, our food systems are the greatest drivers of biodiversity loss.
- In the last 100 years, more than 90 percent of crop varieties have disappeared from farmers’ fields
- half of the breeds of many domestic animals have been lost
- all of the world’s 17 main fishing grounds are now being fished at or above their sustainable limits
- locally varied food production systems are under threat, including related indigenous, traditional and local knowledge.
We need to mobilize and catalyze action around our concerns on health, nutrition, and food systems, and to raise awareness on how to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity for our well-being. Protecting biodiversity is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to hunger, poverty and health.
We can live more climate friendly lifestyles if we manage our natural resources sustainably, and be more energy and resource efficient during the entire life-cycle of the goods we consume.
Actions could include:
- Producing locally varied fruit and vegetables
- Fishing sustainably
- Buying more organic and seasonal foods
- Reducing food waste and composting your food scraps
- Reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers
- Protecting local pollinators
- Building more habitat in your gardens and community
- Working with local communities and learning about traditional knowledge
- Campaigning to produce behavioural change related to eating or consumption habits (at school etc.)
- Reducing food packaging by using reusable bags or reusing glass jars or containers
- Avoiding single-use plastics like plastic straws, coffee cups, plastic cutlery, take out containers or plastic water bottle
