IDSB02H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Iucn Red List, Environmental Organization, Habitat Destruction
6 Feb 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Currently estimated ~8-9 million species across all different types of organisms. Number is very difficult to estimate, and is likely an underestimate. Especially for things like insects and micro-organisms. On one hand, we continue to discover new species. On the other, humans causing species extinctions at a pace not seen since dinosaurs went extinct (65 million years ago) Key reasons for species extinctions worldwide: habitat degradation, habitat loss, overexploitation of species, climate change, other environmental effects (pollution) International union for the conservation of nature. Founded in 1948 as worlds first global environmental organization. A neutral forum for government, ngos, scientists, business, local communities. Iucn redlist is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and snimal species. Biodiversity and conservation are linked to development, due to where much the worlds diversity is located. A general pattern: diversity is greatest in the modern day global south.
