Earth Summit

Philosophy

Ecology

Mathematical physics

Biology

Diversity (politics)

Convention on Biological Diversity

Humanity

Economics

Earth (classical element)

Physical geography

Physics

Environmental ethics

Geography

Political science

Environmental resource management

Sustainable development

Environmental science

Natural resource economics

Biodiversity

Ecosystem services

Ecosystem

Summit

Nature

The most unique feature of Earth is the existence of life, and the most extraordinary feature of life is its diversity. Approximately 9 million types of plants, animals, protists and fungi inhabit the Earth. So, too, do 7 billion people. Two decades ago, at the first Earth Summit, the vast majority of the world's nations declared that human actions were dismantling the Earth's ecosystems, eliminating genes, species and biological traits at an alarming rate. This observation led to the question of how such loss of biological diversity will alter the functioning of ecosystems and their ability to provide society with the goods and services needed to prosper.

Biodiversity loss and its impact on humanity