The world is experiencing a biodiversity crisis, driven by land use change, resource exploitation, invasive species, pollution, and climate change, which all pose a significant threat to wildlife. At COP15, Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was established, which aims to restore 30% of degraded land by 2030.
Through our Invest in Arup program, we partnered with Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA) to help them connect with individuals and communities, to share actions people can take, to help slow and even reverse biodiversity loss.
In Australia, 500 threatened species intersect with cities, highlighting the need for habitat conservation and restoration in urban areas. Individuals can play a crucial role by restoring their backyard, contributing to the creation of urban habitat corridors. This effort, combined with government and organisational actions, could help conserve biodiversity and thus help achieve the 30% restoration goal.
The Biodiversity in your Backyard report, identifies optimal locations for habitat corridors in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, with the potential to cumulatively create 127 hectares of habitat through restored land, equivalent to 178 soccer pitches.
It encourages various actions, such as planting native vegetation, installing habitat features, and responsible pet ownership. It emphasises the importance of corporate responsibility and community engagement in addressing the biodiversity crisis. By fostering collaboration across sectors, we can significantly contribute to urban biodiversity preservation and achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Targets.