The loss of biodiversity is one of the greatest threats to the global economy. This is shown in a recent assessment report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which was presented in Manchester and is based on years of research and thousands of scientific sources.
According to the report, every company depends on nature, whether directly or indirectly. At the same time, every company contributes to damaging biodiversity through its activities. Currently, less than 1% of listed companies mention their impact on biodiversity in their reports.
The economic risks are considerable. In 2023, an estimated 7.3 trillion US dollars flowed into activities with direct negative impacts on nature. In contrast, only 0.22 trillion US dollars were spent on measures for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. High subsidies, partly supported by lobbying, continue to favor environmentally harmful economic practices.
Co-chair Stephen Polasky emphasizes: Early action can prevent rising costs such as higher food prices, insurance premiums, and economic instability. The report therefore calls on companies to make their dependencies on nature and their impacts on biodiversity transparent and to take concrete measures, for example by increasing efficiency and reducing waste and emissions.
Silke Düwel-Rieth from WWF Germany puts it in a nutshell: The biodiversity crisis is the sister of the climate crisis and thus less visible, but just as dangerous. Access to clean water, fertile soil, and stable supply chains is a harsh economic issue.
One thing is clear: the protection of biodiversity is not a voluntary sustainability option, but an economic necessity for stable supply chains, long-term yield security, and the resilience of entire industries, including agriculture.
Image: created with the help of AI
Text basis: n-tv.de