BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Biodiversity is the collective term for the full variety of life on earth. It refers not just to species but also about the genetic diversity within species, the diversity of habitats and also the large biological units which is known as biomes e.g. grassland, tropical forests etc. Biodiversity provides people with basic ecosystem goods such as food, fibre and medicine, and services such as air and water purification, climate regulation, erosion control and nutrient cycling. Biodiversity also plays an important role in economic sectors that drive development, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism. Biodiversity is essential for sustainable development and human well-being. Biodiversity is currently being lost at up to 1,000 times the natural rate due to the loss of habitat, overexploitation of resources, climate change, pollution, invasive exotic species, diseases, hunting etc. Since it provides us with several economic and ethical benefits and aesthetic values it is very important to conserve biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation is the protection and management of biodiversity to obtain resources for sustainable development. Biodiversity conservation and sustainable development both are interrelated branches focusing on social progress, economic growth & environmental protection on one side and ecosystem conservation on the other side. To use biodiversity in a sustainable manner means to use natural resources at a rate that the earth can renew them. There are different strategies and timeframes for achieving similar goals which are discussed in this paper