Biodiversity—the rich variety of living things that support and sustain life on Earth—faces grave threats. One million species are currently threatened with extinction, and species are disappearing at a rate that far exceeds any seen for millions of years.
A new booklet from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provides an easy-to-read overview of biodiversity and why it is vital to the health of all life on the planet.
Written by an international committee of experts that includes environmental science, policy, and management professor and evolutionary ecologist Rosemary Gillespie, the “Biodiversity at Risk” booklet is intended for policymakers and the public. The resource examines the causes of biodiversity loss and presents actions that can be taken at all levels to stop this decline.
During a public briefing webinar on the booklet earlier this year, Gillespie offered examples of successful biodiversity protection measures. “The important thing here is that we actually can do something,” says Gillespie. “We know that actions we have taken in the past have worked, sometimes spectacularly well.”
Read “Biodiversity at Risk” at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine website and view the public briefing below.