Biodiversity – the basis for our livelihoods

Forests, moorlands, seas, steppes, lakes and rivers are much more than just habitats for animals and plants. Healthy ecosystems provide us with food, clean drinking water, raw materials and fertile soils. They protect us against flooding and soil erosion and are real climate heroes – they regulate temperatures and the water balance and help us adapt to climate change.  

Nature under pressure: what biodiversity loss means for us

The natural environment and ecosystems are increasingly coming under pressure worldwide. As habitats are destroyed and biodiversity diminishes, key services such as clean water, fertile soils, pollination and climate regulation are lost too. These ‘ecosystem services’ are crucial for development and prosperity.

The main drivers of this loss are deforestation, overexploitation, pollution, climate change, invasive species and the destruction of natural habitats. An unfavorable political or economic environment means that it is more profitable to use natural resources in the short term than preserve them over the long term. 

We are therefore faced with the challenge of reconciling development with the conservation of nature and the natural resources on which livelihoods depend. The aim is to promote sustainable development, preserve ecosystems, restore degraded ecosystems and safeguard future prosperity. 

From policy to practice 

We support our partner countries in implementing these goals. We advise them on the revision of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and on biodiversity financing. We support authorities and local communities in conserving nature more effectively and using it sustainably outside protected areas.

We promote biodiversity-friendly agriculture in rural areas – for example through agroforestry systems, agroecological farming methods and the conservation and use of traditional varieties and animal breeds that are appropriate for the location in question. Growing more resilient crops also plays an important role as it contributes to climate change adaptation.  

The restoration of terrestrial and marine ecosystems is another of our services. Our activities cover mangroves, densely-wooded landscapes, moorlands and wetlands, all the way through to networked landscape approaches.

We promote biodiversity conservation and urban nature – for example through green infrastructure, community garden projects and participatory climate adaptation measures in partner cities worldwide. 

  Together with companies that wish to use natural resources sustainably or reduce their environmental footprint, we develop inclusive and nature-friendly value and supply chains. We also work with experts from the world of finance on innovative ways to fund nature projects appropriately – so that Indigenous Peoples and local communities benefit too.

Our measures:

• We promote dialogue between policy-makers and the private sector at all levels – from national to local – so that solutions can be developed and implemented on a joint basis.
• We provide support in setting up and managing multi-stakeholder partnerships and platforms to strengthen cooperation between the state, civil society, the private sector and the scientific and academic community.
• We provide support in developing and implementing awareness-raising and public relations measures that systematically take account of and embed the multiple values of biodiversity and nature in politics and society.