Environmental Policies Instructor Dr. John T. Ackerman Date of Submission Environmental Issues Causing Biodiversity Loss Introduction Human activity is challenging the planet’s environmental sustainability, threatening its ability to sustain current and future generations. At least 40 percent of the world’s economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. In addition, the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses to such new challenges as climate change. Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops, greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms, and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters. So, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife. For this to happen, government intervention is necessary.