biodiversity & sustanability - Francesco Santuccio

BIODIVERSITY & SUSTAINABILITY

Biodiversity represents the extraordinary variety of life on Earth, the living fabric of our planet. It is the sum total of all life forms, from the smallest organisms to majestic trees, from industrious insects to fascinating predators, from microscopic cells to the complex ecosystems in which they thrive. This extraordinary mosaic is what makes our planet a unique, wondrous place fit for our very existence. Historically, interest in biodiversity has roots stretching back through the ages.

Mankind has always been fascinated by the extraordinary variety of plants, animals and microorganisms that animate the Earth. Naturalists, explorers and scientists from all corners of the world have devoted their lives to exploring, discovering and cataloguing an ever-increasing number of species, opening the door to understanding the importance of biological richness.Biodiversity plays an indispensable role in maintaining fundamental ecological functions. Think of the photosynthesis performed by plants, which ensures the oxygen essential for breathing, or pollinating insects, which facilitate food production. Not forgetting the soil microbes that play an important role in decomposing organic waste and recycling nutrients.

Ecosystems rich in biodiversity provide a variety of key services, including climate regulation, water purification, soil conservation and erosion prevention. Forests, for example, help mitigate climate change through their role in absorbing carbon dioxide. River systems and wetlands are essential for water purification, while coral reefs provide vital habitat for numerous marine species.

What is sustainability?
The term “sustainability” comes from the Latin word “sustinere” (tenere, to hold; sub, under). In environmental and economic sciences, the term sustainability refers to the condition of development that ensures that the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the ability of future generations to realize their own. The concept of sustainability was introduced at the first U.N. conference on the environment in 1972, although it was not until 1987, with the publication of the Brundtland Report, that the goal of sustainable development was clearly defined, which, after the 1992 U.N. Conference on Environment and Development, became the new paradigm for development itself.

What is meant by environmental sustainability: definition, examples, meaning
In the environmental sphere, the concept of sustainability means the process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the investment plan, the orientation of technological development, and institutional changes are all in tune and enhance current and future potential in order to meet human needs and aspiration
In order to make the Planet more environmentally sustainable, a number of strategies need to be put into practice, such as providing for more green areas and optimizing the viability within urban spaces, the use of a type of industrial production that has an increasingly low CO2-related environmental impact, the use of green technologies and renewable energy sources, as well as the adoption of individual lifestyles that favor the proper use of available resources, minimize waste, and provide for the proper disposal and recycling of consumed products