Biodiversity and Sustainable Development

Stewart Lockie, Hedda Ransan-Cooper

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingEntry for encyclopedia/dictionarypeer-review

    Abstract

    At face value, the importance of biological diversity to sustainable development is obvious. Beyond the intrinsic value we ascribe to living organisms and assemblages, biodiversity contributes to numerous ecosystem processes that support ecological, economic and social well-being. Biodiversity enhances the ability of ecosystems including heavily modifi ed ecosystems such as those found in farms, gardens, cities and towns to cope with climatic and environmental shocks. Biodiversity supports food security by providing raw genetic material for improved crop and livestock varieties. Biodiversity provides opportunities for indigenous and other communities to cultivate market niches based on traditional knowledge and livelihood practices. Indeed, biodiversity and the ecosystem processes in which it is implicated provide a host of services to people that would otherwise require expensive technological and fi nancial inputs. These include the purifi cation of water and air; the provision of food, fi bre, timber and fuel; the mitigation of fl oods, drought, disease; and so on. In more ways than we yet understand, biodiversity is central to the sustainability of human societies and economies.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationRoutledge International Handbook of Sustainable Development
    EditorsMichael Redclift and Delyse Springett
    Place of PublicationAbingdon and New York
    PublisherRoutledge
    Pages123-135
    Volume1
    Edition1st
    ISBN (Print)9780415838429
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

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