Useful Sites

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is a great source of reliable and up-to-date information. They have an inclusive policy of stakeholder participation and have active stakeholder networks for those who would like to be more involved (e.g. ONet).

Many expert authors and reviewers have worked hard to compile reports summarising the latest data on the state of biodiversity. You can access all of these reports on the IPBES webpage under ‘assessing knowledge‘.

The UN produced the fifth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-5); an output of the processes of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Like many reports (e.g. WWF below), it draws heavily on the work of IPBES. The synthesis report ‘Making Peace With Nature: A scientific blueprint to tackle the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies‘ communicates the current status of the most urgent global issues and opportunities to solve them.

WWF compiled the Living Planet Report 2020, which details the current state of biodiversity and potential routes we could follow to ‘bend the curve’ of biodiversity loss. Additionally, they compiled a brief summary of the then latest IPBES and IPCC reports into the ‘Climate, Nature and our 1.5C Future‘ synthesis.

What you can do

There are many ways that each individual can make a big impact. It is important to remember this and to maintain a hopeful outlook.

Many of the human activities fuelling the climate crisis are also resulting in biodiversity loss. This is a great book to get a clear overview and plan of action for how to turn things around..
  • Sign or start petitions, vote for people and policies that will make a difference and lobby elected representatives to ensure that they know your concerns
  • Buy less. If you do need to buy things, consider second hand or recycled items. Cut down on plastic and support companies who prioritise sustainability.
  • Eat more plants. Reduce your food waste to as little as possible. Buy local, seasonal produce.
  • Travel by walking, cycling or public transport whenever possible.
  • Help pollinators by leaving grass to grow – even a small patch is useful. Don’t use pesticides. There are some great tips available courtesy of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan.
  • Save energy by switching off appliances not in use. Wash clothes at low temperatures and don’t heat your home more than you need to. Use energy efficient appliances. Delete any emails which are not needed.
  • Support and participate in organisations (at any level) who are working to combat biodiversity loss and climate change.
  • Keep reading and searching for new ideas for what you can do. Talk about them with your friends and family.

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