Protect and Survive

World Biodiversity Day shines a light on the world’s most threatened animals and ecosystems. Discover how you can make a difference with Carbon Balanced Paper.

Celebrated each year on 22 May, the International Day for Biological Diversity raises awareness of the huge importance of biodiversity in the world’s ecosystems. Also known as World Biodiversity Day, the UN-backed initiative has the theme of ‘Building a Shared Future for all Life’, which highlights that biodiversity is the answer to a number of sustainable development challenges.

One of those challenges is the protection of threatened and endangered animal species – a task that gets more and more difficult every year. Deforestation, hunting and wildfires are extreme threats to many of the habitats that these species call home. And without these habitats the animals will simply not survive.

The Red List

The huge scale of the problem is outlined by the IUCN Red List. Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species is now the world’s most comprehensive resource for the the global risk of extinction for animal, fungus and plant species.

An essential indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity, it provides information about the range, population size, and habitats of a vast number of species, as well as the threats towards them. Used by governments, wildlife departments, NGOs, academic institutions and businesses, the list is a powerful tool to encourage action for conservation and policy change, and protect the world’s natural resources. But it’s grim reading.

Currently, there are more than 142,500 species on The IUCN Red List, with more than 40,000 threatened with extinction. That includes 41% of amphibians, 26% of mammals, and 13% of birds. These are alarming figures, but there are a number of organisations working hard to halt the declining trend.

Animals on the edge of extinction

One of those organisations is World Land Trust (WLT), the international conservation charity that protects the world’s most biologically significant and threatened habitats. Working with a network of partners around the world, WLT funds the creation of reserves that provide permanent protection for habitats and wildlife, which includes many species currently on the IUCN Red List.

Those species include the West Indian Manatee, the Baird’s Tapir, and the Yucatan Black Howler Monkey in the coastal forests of Guatemala, as well as the Southern White-Cheeked Gibbon, the Saola antelope, and the stunning Crested Argus bird in the Khe Nuoc Trong area of Vietnam.

Alongside their status as vital areas of conservation, what both of these regions have in common is that their protection is helped by funds raised by Carbon Balanced Paper. This unique initiative offers brands the opportunity to reduce their carbon emissions and demonstrate their commitment to the environment, while enabling partner suppliers and printers to carbon balance their paper and print services. In the eight years it’s been running, Carbon Balanced Paper has helped to protect land and forests that’s offset over 50,000 tonnes of CO₂.

Whether it’s a desire to protect some of the world’s most endangered species, carbon balance your emissions, or make a lasting contribution to the environment for World Biodiversity Day, signing up to the Carbon Balanced Paper scheme is a great way to show your commitment.

For more information on the IUCN Red List, go to www.iucnredlist.org