Banking on Biodiversity

Nationwide

This 2010 pocketbook highlights why we are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis, and what we should be doing about it.

For those of us in the Western world, such a crisis may seem abstract; for the rural poor in the developing world, it’s all too real. Their absolute dependence on the bounty of forests, deserts and coasts means ‘biodiversity loss’ can mean losing all: food, fuel, building material, medicine, forage, livelihoods and culture.

The good news is that it can work the other way. Poor communities, as long-term stewards of the South’s natural riches, are steeped in profound knowledge about them. As this pocketbook shows, working with them can reverse the downward spiral of environmental degradation. By banking on biodiversity, we can protect our natural legacy while tackling poverty locally, nationally and globally.

That's the central message of a free book published by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), BirdLife International and Pavan Sukhdev — leader of The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity study.

The full colour publication — which is written in clear, engaging language and aimed at policymakers, journalists and the general public was published on the eve of the world's biggest international conference on biodiversity, in Nagoya, Japan.