As our planet faces unprecedented challenges, the loss of biodiversity has become a critical concern, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and human well-being. These articles delve into factors contributing to biodevastation, which is the loss of biodiversity and life. The articles explore the causes, consequences, and potential solutions shedding light on the profound impacts of biodevastation on ecosystems, wildlife, and the delicate balance of our planet.
Articles range from habitat destruction and pollution to the role of human activities in exacerbating the loss of biodiversity. We bring you expert perspectives and actionable steps to address and mitigate the challenges posed by the loss of biodiversity.
Together, let’s explore ways to protect and preserve the richness of life on Earth for current and future generations.
Each article serves as a stepping stone towards a deeper understanding of biodiversity loss and environmental destruction and the urgency to adopt better practices.
One of the most devastating legacies of colonial-era management is the systematic drainage of rainwater toward the seas and deserts. Even in arid areas where every drop is precious, rainwater is funneled into storm drains, lost forever. This practice reflects a mindset that sees rain not as a blessing to be preserved, but as a nuisance to be eliminated.
Diquat, an herbicide banned in the European Union but still widely used in the U.S., damages the intestines and may also trigger a harmful chain reaction in the rest of the body—injuring the liver, kidney, and lungs, according to a new review of more than 100 studies.
The herbicide has traditionally been studied for its toxic effects on the liver and kidneys. However, this review, recently published [May 2025] in Frontiers in Pharmacology, suggests the intestines are a key target for its harmful effects.
With governments “scaling back their already meager” actions to tackle climate breakdown, said one ecologist, “our present-day human culture is on a suicide course.”
The real security threats for the West? They’re not in some far-off desert — they’re in the rising oceans, the burning forests, and the financial collapse that’s coming faster than a hypersonic missile. There is no fortress strong enough, no bomb big enough, to hold back the seas or cool the scorched fields.
“An AK-47 grows better than millet in the Sahel.” This chilling metaphor from a Nigerian farmer sums up the vicious cycle linking environmental degradation and instability. With 65% of Africa’s drylands already degraded (UNCCD, 2022) and Lake Chad shrinking to just 10% of its original size, competition for water and fertile land fuels tensions.
Biodiversity refers to the richness and variety within and between plant and animal species, and within ecosystems. This diversity is declining faster than at any time in human history. Five years remain until the framework’s 2030 deadline. Our research shows a more intense global effort is needed to achieve the goals of the agreement and stem the biodiversity crisis. Importantly, countries should both increase the size of areas protected or under restoration (a matter of quantity), and choose areas where interventions will most benefit biodiversity (a matter of quality).
As Earth grows warmer, its ground is becoming drier and saltier, with profound consequences for the planet’s 8 billion inhabitants — nearly a third of whom already live in places where water is increasingly scarce and the ability to raise crops and livestock is increasingly difficult. Climate change is accelerating this trend. New research has found global warming has made 77 percent of the Earth’s land drier over the past three decades while rapidly increasing the proportion of excessively salty soils.
But if the promise of renewable energy is used to prop up existing levels of consumption, then the best we can expect is a slowing of the rate of ecological destruction. Unless renewables are one component of an overall down-powering, they are a part of the problem and not a solution.
