Biodiversity, ecosystems and natural resources

The environmental impacts measured by the IPAT equation are real threats to planetary sustainability. The major ecosystems on the planet (e.g. the forests) and their biodiversity are in effect the ‘lungs of the planet’ (CEH 2013) and provide us with a stable climate and atmosphere in which to live out our lives. In addition, these same ecosystems are vital components in the absorption of waste and pollution produced by human populations, and our natural ecosystems are able to store and recycle much of our waste and pollution. The natural resources from these ecosystems provide human populations with their raw materials (e.g. water, minerals, metals and fibres such as wood and cotton) and fuel for energy (hydrocarbons in the form of oil, coal and gas) (Hanley et al. 2001).

• 

  'Amazon Rainforest, Venezuela' by Eric Pheterson, from Flickr. Used under a creative commons license

• 

  'Coral reef ecosystem at Palmyra Atoll' by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service , from Wikimedia. Used under a creative commons license

• 

  'Valley of the Ten Peaks and Moraine Lake' by Eric Pheterson, from Flickr. Image is in the public domain

Ecosystem services can therefore be considered to be of economic value to the continued sustainability of human populations across the planet. Yet there are costs involved when forests are cut down and intensive agricultural land-used leads to erosion and desertification. The loss of wetlands (a natural buffer against flooding), often drained for development, along with the acidification of the oceans and the warming of the atmosphere from excess CO2 emissions all have long term consequences for biodiversity on the planet. As more and more natural systems are disturbed to enable the exploitation of natural resources for human development, the less sustainable our maintenance of a habitable biosphere seems likely (Singh and Shishodia 2007).