Our Natural Affinity: Humanity Must Use Science To Conserve Nature's Species

Vivek Saxena is Country Representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Writing in Times Evoke, he discusses the loss of biodiversity, conservation programs the IUCN contributes to — and how science can make flourishing nature a reality:

- Vivek Saxena

Land divides nations but land-scapes and ecosystems provide a spatial and temporal connection between species. This connection is above human-defined geographic boundaries. It is also vital for it provides the ecosystem services needed for the survival of all species — including Homo sapiens. Disrupting this connection has deeply profound consequences — the Covid-19 pandemic, for instance, is rooted in the disruption of ecosystems and the loss of species. In fact, according to a World Economic Forum (WEF) 2020 study, biodiversity loss is among the five most pressing global risks before humanity. The implications of this could not be more worrying, given that the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which is one of the most comprehensive scientific assessments, estimates that about one million species are now threatened with extinction. Our biodiversity faces a tremendous challenge — and with that, so do we.

In this context, the IUCN plays a major role in shaping the world’s conservation agenda through its partnerships with over 1,400 members including national governments, 15,000 commission experts, volunteer experts in over 160 specialist groups, Red List authorities and task forces. Challenges can only be met with in-depth knowledge of the issues at hand. Therefore, species assessment is central to creating new and effective conservation strategies.