Biodiversity’s contributions to sustainable development

Malgorzata Blicharska (), Richard J. Smithers, Grzegorz Mikusiński, Patrik Rönnbäck, Paula A. Harrison, Måns Nilsson and William J. Sutherland
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Malgorzata Blicharska: Uppsala University
Richard J. Smithers: Ricardo Energy & Environment
Grzegorz Mikusiński: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
Patrik Rönnbäck: Uppsala University
Paula A. Harrison: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre
Måns Nilsson: Stockholm Environment Institute
William J. Sutherland: University of Cambridge

Nature Sustainability, 2019, vol. 2, issue 12, 1083-1093

Abstract: Abstract International concern to develop sustainably challenges us to act upon the inherent links between our economy, society and environment, and is leading to increasing acknowledgement of biodiversity’s importance. This Review discusses the breadth of ways in which biodiversity can support sustainable development. It uses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a basis for exploring scientific evidence of the benefits delivered by biodiversity. It focuses on papers that provide examples of how biodiversity components (that is, ecosystems, species and genes) directly deliver benefits that may contribute to the achievement of individual SDGs. It also considers how biodiversity’s direct contributions to fulfilling some SDGs may indirectly support the achievement of other SDGs to which biodiversity does not contribute directly. How the attributes (for example, diversity, abundance or composition) of biodiversity components influence the benefits delivered is also presented, where described by the papers reviewed. While acknowledging potential negative impacts and trade-offs between different benefits, the study concludes that biodiversity may contribute to fulfilment of all SDGs.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41893-019-0417-9

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