Healthy, biodiverse ecosystems provide the goods and services that humans need for their well-being. Many of these goods and services are in decline, such as the provision of fresh water, marine fisheries, the cleansing of atmospheric pollutants, protection from natural hazards, pollination of our crops and pest control. The loss of biological diversity destabilizes ecosystems and makes them more vulnerable to shocks and disturbances such as hurricanes and floods, which may further reduce the ability of environments to provide for human well-being. These negative consequences are felt most harshly by the rural poor, who rely most directly on the services provided by local ecosystems for their well-being. However as human wellbeing is dependant upon biodiversity all people will be affected by its decline. For this reason, biodiversity loss poses a significant barrier to meeting the Millennium Development Goals. Biodiversity also underpins many of our cultural and spiritual values.
