Our oceans contain about 80% of the world’s biodiversity, making oceanic biodiversity essential to planetary balance and the existence of human existence. Land-based biodiversity with a rich variety of life across the globe is also critical for ecosystem rehabilitation and a sustainable future. The Humanitarian Impact Institute works with partners and clients on biodiversity and ocean health to help maintain a functioning ecosystem where nature’s processes work naturally, while also supporting humans and ensuring biodiversity functions as natural carbon sinks.

Plastic (itself a by-product of fossil fuel production), overfishing, dredging, pollution (including from land based animal agriculture that causes oceanic dead zones) and by catch all contribute to species extinction and the destabilisation of oceanic biodiversity. 

Food systems, energy transition, sustainable agriculture, restoration, and the green and blue economy all are critical solutions for global biodiversity in oceans and on land. 

Humanitarian and development programs need to balance ethics and tradition with a scientific basis for biodiversity safeguarding in program design and implementation. 

The humanitarian and development ecosystem needs to redirect activities to take account of the environmental degradation and climate change causing effects of some programming techniques.