The importance of protecting biodiversity as we address climate change
"A key concept in ecology is that no single species exists on its own. Everything depends on other species to survive, and that includes humans.”
Thomas Crowther is professor of ecology in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich where he founded the Crowther Lab. He is also the founder of Restor, an online restoration and conservation platform, and co-chair of the advisory board for the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Based on his insights into the connections between biodiversity and climate change, he outlines the benefits of healthy ecosystems, and in particular why restoring degraded land with appropriate indigenous species does more than just reduce biodiversity loss; it also opens up long-term economic opportunities for local communities.
As one of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders of 2021, he also understands the need for public engagement to encourage governments and businesses to take action.
Up Next in Season 2
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RE:TV Regenerative Aquaculture
Coast4c helps fishing communities learn how to farm seaweed; providing alternative income at the same time as restoring the marine ecosystem.
Coast4c helps fishing communities learn how to farm and sell seaweed; a much-needed economic alternative in areas that have seen dramatic biodiversity loss... -
RE:TV Rediscovering Chocolate
How a Venezuelan co-operative uses agroforestry to grow and protect a rare variety of cocoa
The chocolate industry is dominated by two varieties of cocoa - Forastero and Trinitario - which account for 97% of global production. A third variety, Criollo, which can be traced back to the Mayans and t... -
RE:TV Replanting Mangroves
Restoring carbon-capturing mangroves in Costa Rican wetlands
Mangroves are one of the most effective natural carbon sinks on earth, storing up to four times more carbon per hectare than rainforests. They are also rich in biodiversity and mitigate some of the most catastrophic local effects of cli...
