The climate crisis underscores urgency of biodiversity conservation

Safeguarding biodiversity today will allow future generations to continue benefiting from the ecological and economic values that diverse species provide.

Lee Chang-seok

The author is the president of the National Institute of Ecology.

May 22 marked the International Day for Biological Diversity, established by the United Nations in 1993 to commemorate the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The global recognition of this day reflects a collective effort to halt the rapid decline of biodiversity — a resource essential to the survival and stability of life on Earth.

Biodiversity is not an abstract concept. For humanity, it begins with the food we eat. Staple crops like rice and wheat once existed only in the wild. Today, as climate change accelerates, these food sources face environmental conditions increasingly unsuitable for cultivation. Some tropical regions are already reporting a decline in rice production due to rising temperatures and erratic weather patterns.

Members of the Green Korea United perform during the International Day for Biological Diversity in Seoul, South Korea, 22 May 2025. Green Korea United members gathered to demand the rights of nature in Seoul. [EPA/YONHAP]

But biodiversity's value extends beyond food. It also sustains the discovery and development of medicines that maintain human health. More fundamentally, biodiversity is the engine behind the ecosystem services that regulate the global environment. These include air purification, water filtration, climate stabilization and pollination. Without such services, Earth would not provide a livable climate for humans and countless other species.

Yet biodiversity is disappearing at an alarming rate. Although humans are a part of the natural world, our species has relentlessly expanded into spaces once occupied by other life forms. We have fragmented habitats and degraded ecosystems. We have overexploited species with commercial value and polluted the environments they depend on. Now, we are imposing an entirely new level of threat through climate change.

Nature operates as a tightly woven system. The extinction of one species ripples through countless others, often triggering a cascade effect known as the “extinction vortex.” Once caught in this spiral, biodiversity loss accelerates rapidly.

The main driver of extinction is habitat destruction and degradation. Therefore, the most urgent task is to conserve and restore natural habitats. The reach of human activity — both direct and indirect — is now so extensive that there are few places on Earth untouched. The scale of our impact is such that some researchers propose a new geological epoch: the Anthropocene, marked by human dominance over natural systems.

Human actions have harmed the Earth’s ecosystems to a degree that affects global ecological balance. From fragmented forests to degraded wetlands, ecosystems worldwide are weakened or collapsing. Even those that appear healthy are often severely compromised due to overuse of land.

The decline in ecosystem health is not just a problem for wildlife. It threatens human well-being and long-term prosperity. Recognizing this, many countries are launching major restoration initiatives. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, for example, is a global effort to heal damaged ecosystems. Similarly, “nature-based solutions” are being implemented to ensure that biodiversity can continue to provide essential services for future generations.

Biodiversity loss is no longer only an environmental issue — it is also an economic risk. The World Economic Forum (WEF) has ranked biodiversity loss as one of the top threats humanity will face in the next decade. The annual cost of lost biodiversity is estimated at $4.5 trillion. In response, international discussions are moving toward mandatory disclosure of nature-related financial risks, requiring companies to evaluate and report their dependence on and impact on natural capital.

Korean Ambassador to the UN Hwang Joon-kook deposits an instrument of ratification for the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement (BBNJ) to the office of the UN secretary-general in New York on March 19. [YONHAP]

This shift reflects a growing understanding that economies cannot thrive without nature. A sustainable economic model must account for the environmental systems on which all industries depend.

On this year’s Biodiversity Day, Korea must recognize that preserving biodiversity is not optional. It is a necessary step for ecological resilience, public health and economic security. As the global community intensifies its efforts, Korea should actively join these initiatives — not only to protect its own biodiversity, but to ensure it remains part of a broader solution.

Safeguarding biodiversity today will allow future generations to continue benefiting from the ecological and economic values that diverse species provide.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.