WHY WE SHOULD REVERSE BIODIVERSITY LOSS

MELISSA CHASARIRA (Zimbabwe)
Honorable Mentions

Biodiversity is of great importance in the sustenance of life on earth with its variety of the unique species that all exist together in promoting a balance in the ecosystem which gives us all habitable place to exist. The loss of biodiversity disturbs the ecosystem balance which has dire consequences that pose a threat to life on earth hence we must do all that is necessary to keep this balance and go even an extra mile to restore it. We should reverse biodiversity loss as it a result of factors which are mostly caused by human activities.
Global warming is one of the consequences caused by the loss of biodiversity from human activities such as burning fossil fuels that cause extreme weather conditions making our planet to experience severe hot temperatures as it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which traps the heat from the earth blocking it from escaping the planet into the space as it should. Extreme hot temperatures cause droughts which result in food insecurity and excessive rainfalls that risk human life and infrastructure.

Deforestation is another activity that contributes biodiversity loss as many species depend on trees thus creating an imbalance in the environment. Deforestation also contributes to global warming due to the absence or depletion of trees that are responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When these tress are cut down they also add on to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by releasing the carbon dioxide they have been storing, we should preserve our forests and also plant more trees so that we are able to fight global warming which is a threat to our lives and all the other species that are affected by it. Most animals depend on trees for food and shelter for them to survive so loss of trees will leave them desperate and suffering.
Humans also benefit from trees in many different ways like getting medicines, fruits, shade and also clean air. The process of photosynthesis aid in breaking down of air pollutants thus improving air quality for us, high concentration of plants results in high air quality and vice versa .Soil erosion is also a consequence of deforestation which makes degraded environments more prone to natural disasters such as floods which endanger life on our planet. It is important that we stop deforestation so as to keep and maintain a balance for our own good.
Biodiversity loss has an impact on our health as our air and water are polluted, access to clean water is a basic need and right to humans which we will not be able to get if we do not take care of water buy participating in activities that reduces and eliminate that pollution. Polluted water put us at a greater health risk to cancers which have contributed in the increased high mortality rate, respiratory diseases, bacterial and parasites waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid which may lead to loss of life. Water pollution is mainly caused by discharge of wastes from industries that have toxins which cause these diseases; these toxins poison sea life to which some serve as food to humans.
The wildfires caused by humans are a result of negligence or accidents during activities such as smocking, campfires, clearing land, equipment failure and many more. These wild fires result in loss of life, infrastructure and emit toxic pollutants into the atmosphere which is bad for our health. Some people are left stranded as they are forced to displace from their homes and starting all over again which is not easy and cause much stress to the affected people. The governments of the affected nation are also forced to mobilise resources to rescue the affected parties and might even need to source the resources from other countries like what we saw happening in Brazil. If we take care of our planet like we should all those devastating scenarios will be avoided and also the resources channelled tackling these disasters could be used for other things to better the lives of the people at large.

Humans should stop overexploiting other species as they all play an important role in our ecosystem. Activities as fishing and hunting animals for meat if not done carefully will decrease the numbers of these other species leading them to extinction leaving a gap unfilled in the space they are supposed to naturally occupy and exist peacefully in. Wildlife trade also results in biodiversity loss for example some animals are hunted for ivory and other animals  being moved from one environment to the other leaving the environment they naturally existed in at a loss and no other species will ever replace them.
Increased UV radiation that is a result of ozone layer destruction   is caused by CFCs produced from industries which also cause biodiversity loss as UV radiation affects plant life causing a reduction in the agricultural produce and also killing sea life. Humans are also affected by exposure to UV radiation over a long period which can cause skin cancers.

It is crucial that we appreciate all the species on our planet and understand that they are just as important we are. We should reduce and eliminate all these activities that have a negative impact in our ecosystem as well as invest more into keeping and maintaining biodiversity responsibly as our actions determine the kind of life we live. We should advocate more for the reverse of biodiversity loss as the consequences are not insignificant to ignore them so that we do not end up paying a higher price with our lives simply because of our recklessness.