Connecting Global Priorities Biodiversity and Human Health

Business-as-usual scenarios were contrasted
against plausible alternative scenarios to 2050
that would simultaneously curb biodiversity loss,
mitigate climate change, alleviate poverty and,
in so doing, contribute to maintaining essential
ecosystem services that sustain human health (see
Figure 1).
Drawing on the findings of the Global Biodiversity
Outlook report described in the preceding section,
the scenarios in Figure 1 suggest that there are
multiple plausible pathways to simultaneously
achieve the intersecting goals of maximizing
biodiversity, human health, and development
outcomes. Under these alternative scenarios,
several biodiversity indicators reflecting the health
of our ecosystems and the life-supporting services
that they deliver would also be improved. (see
Figure 2).
Under ‘business as usual’ scenarios, pressures of
increased per-capita consumption and population
growth, energy-intensive agricultural production
that is both water and fossil fuel-intensive,
unsustainable harvest, overconsumption,
indiscriminate and unregulated large-scale
exploitation of terrestrial and marine resources,
the erosion of genetic diversity; pervasive use of
pesticides, nitrogen fertilizers in food production
systems and antibiotics, deforestation, illegal trade,
perverse economic incentives, marginalization
and alienation of poor and vulnerable populations,
and lack of awareness and education on the values
of biodiversity and ecosystem services, will all
combine to exert untenable pressures on the
biosphere and human populations alike. These
pressures have been abundantly demonstrated
throughout this volume. Fortunately, sustainable
alternatives have also been proposed and
evaluated.
A
.
B
.
.
.
.
.
Proportion in
Proportion in averaged
across three response scenarios
Population Size
Values in
Red List Index
Values in under
business as usual
Species Richness Mean Species
Abundance
Levels in averaged across the
three responses scenarios
C
D
,,
Gt CO
equivalent
tonnes per year
,,
,,
,,
,,
,,
,,
,,
Current levels
Food production in
Levels in under business as usual
Food production in under business as usual
Levels in averaged across the response scenarios
Food production in averaged across the three response scenarios
Connecting Global Priorities: Biodiversity and Human Health
255