The loss of biological diversity is urgent - this is how we reverse the negative trend

2023-02-14

Alexandre Antonelli is a rare breed: a Brazilian who speaks Swedish, works in the UK and Gothenburg, and is one of the world's foremost experts on biological diversity. Alexandre works as the director of science at the world's largest collection of plant and fungal specimens, Kew, which can be compared to a sort of Noah's Ark, but for plants and fungi. In 2021, he was also one of the speakers in the Swedish Radio program "Summer Talk." Meet to Alexandre Antonelli at the Nordic Sustainability Expo on May 9th.

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew är inte bara en botanisk trädgård utan också ett av världens främsta forskningsinstitut. Här arbetar 660 forskare med världens största samling av växter och svampar, ungefär 16 000 levande arter och 8.5 miljoner pressade växter och svampar. Dessutom förvaras här 2,4 miljarder fröer. 

Kew is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was established as early as 1757. Its purpose is to preserve plants and species for the future and to research the important properties of species to find new uses for them.

"We have a lot to learn from nature, and plants in particular are important for human well-being, especially in the pharmaceutical industry," says Alexandre Antonelli, a professor of biological diversity.

Biological diversity refers to all the variation of life that exists on Earth, including plants, fungi, humans, and animals. We humans are entirely dependent on biological diversity, and its usefulness is enormous. Almost everything we eat, how we dress, the building materials for our homes, outdoor recreation, leisure and well-being, air and water purification, prevention of landslides and erosion, and much more is connected to biological diversity.

But unfortunately, the situation is urgent: 69% of all animal populations have declined, a quarter of the tropical rainforest has disappeared, and 40% of the world's plants are threatened. Scientists warn of the 6th major mass extinction, which will have significant effects on humanity. And the fact is that if we do not change our way of life and our consumption of nature's resources, 1 million species will be threatened with extinction within a decade. (Today there are about 8 million species).

But how can we prevent this?

"All research shows that it is not too late to prevent extinction, and we know what needs to be done, but it will require a significant transformation, and the longer we wait, the more expensive it will be," explains Alexandre Antonelli.

And the solution is not just one individual action, but we need to work on several fronts. Among other things, we need to immediately increase conservation efforts, address climate change, counteract invasive species, work preventively against new plant and animal diseases, and prevent new infections. In addition, we all need to reduce consumption overall, and we also need to invest more in innovative technology, services, and circular products.

"Food production is the biggest threat to biological diversity. In total, it releases 37% of our CO2 emissions today, and this needs to be improved. We need to review what we have on our plates and reduce food waste. In principle, we need to review all plans," explains Alexandre.

Despite the gloomy prospects, Alexandre is positive and optimistic. He sees an increased awareness among the population and especially among companies, which he believes have a significant role to play going forward. Companies have the opportunity to lead the way and invest in climate change now, and will benefit in the long term. In Alexandre's new book, "A Hidden Universe," he shows how Swedish companies can contribute to a more sustainable use of natural resources and the positive effects it can have on the climate and consumers.

We look forward to hearing more about this at Alexandre's lecture on May 9th!

Here you can buy Alexandres new book
www.kew.org