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The biodiversity is under threat in the very near short term


That is the conclusion of the summary of the global assessment of nature published on the 6th May 2019 by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), an independent organisation made up from over 130 member states.  More than a million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction within decades according to their report made after three years of research in more than 50 countries.  However the report also presents the solutions available to avoid such a catastrophe.

 

What are the principal conclusions of the report?


The first and most important is that humans are directly responsible for the decline in nature, with an average of around 25% of animals and plant being threatened.  The rate of destruction is alarming, and is tens to hundreds of times higher than the average over the past 10 million years.  

Among the main causes of the extinction of the species are the changing uses of the sea and land (e.g. deforestation), the exploitation of certain species (e.g. overfishing), climatic change, pollution, and invasive species introduced by man in unsuitable habitats which then threaten the natural biodiversity (e.g. ragweed).

Rare tulips in the vineyard at Chateau Coutet

 

How will we be affected in the short term?


The report warns that most of nature’s contribution will not be completely replaceable.  For example more than ¾ of the world’s crops rely on pollinisation by animals.  Foods such as fruit, vegetables, coffee and chocolate could quickly become in short supply if the animals that pollinate the plants become extinct.  And it’s not just food, many medicines rely on plants that are at risk of disappearing.  

Another worry is that the number of conflicts linked to natural resources is already very high, some 2500 happening at the moment.  This number will increase as the world population increases, putting even more pressure on the natural resources available.

Humans are directly responsible for the decline in nature

 

What can we do now?


The good news is that we can reverse the trend.  To do so we need change and positive actions on a local and global scale.  We can use more sustainable agricultural methods, and enforce quotas on resources used on a global scale, for example by ending subsidies for intensive farming, fishing, deforestation, or the mining of fossil fuels.

On a local level, we can all make an impact by the choices we make to move around, heat our homes, and feed ourselves.  For example reducing the amount of meat and fish that we eat and by choosing producers that respect biodiversity.

we need change and positive actions on a local and global scale

 

How are we concerned at Gourmet Odyssey?


Gourmet Odyssey only works with organically certified producers.  It’s a choice that we made when creating the company 10 years ago, convinced that we could also help support agriculture on a human scale which preserves the environment and biodiversity.  Our partner, Château Coutet is a good example, a family run winery which has preserved the biodiversity in its vineyards for more than 400 years, having never used chemical products in the vineyards at the winery.

When choosing presents for friends and family, or activities for corporate events, we can make our choice by limiting our impact on the environment and helping to support the producers who fight to preserve the living.

More information on the criteria used to select Gourmet Odyssey’s partners.

 

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