In the big cities, the elements of nature are hidden among streets, shopping malls, offices and skyscrapers. Birds, bees, lizards and even capybaras live alongside people in cities, as do microorganisms and plants found in urban parks and forests. For those who live near preservation or conservation areas, wild animals are regular companions and a reminder that, despite the breadth of human presence, we are just another species sharing this planet.

Food production, the water cycle and climate regulation, among other ecosystem services, depend on a healthy environment. Read about the importance of biodiversity and how each of us can help protect it.

What is the importance of biodiversity?

Biodiversity is all around us and includes all types of life: animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. Each species is part of a network that maintains the balance of the planet and enables life to thrive. Natural resources, such as food, clean water, medicine and shelter, depend on biodiversity to remain available.

According to Fabiano Melo, a biologist and professor at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) who is also a scientific advisor for the NGO Muriqui Biodiversity Institute and a regional coordinator for the primate specialist group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), ecosystem services provided by biodiversity —that is, benefits offered by ecosystems to meet society’s needs (food, climate control, soil formation, etc.)— are essential for life. “In addition to water and food, the natural environment generates revenue from products that are sold. It is important not only to keep us alive, but also for financial reasons,” he explains.

One example is the water cycle. Vegetation contributes to air moisture by releasing vapor through transpiration, which is part of the formation of rain. Fungi and bacteria in the soil decompose organic matter, increasing water retention and filtration. The destruction of biodiversity affects this cycle, reducing the volume of rainfall and the availability of drinking water. This has a negative impact both on human and animal lives, which depend on water, and on industrial sectors, which need water for their production processes.

What threatens biodiversity?

In different ways, the greatest threat to biodiversity is human activity. According to the WWF’s Living Planet Report 2024, between 1970 and 2020, wildlife populations fell by 73%. According to Melo, the main threat to biodiversity has always been changes in land use, especially deforestation. WWF also points out that habitat fragmentation, that is, the isolation of areas of native vegetation, is one of the main threats to biodiversity.

In addition to its direct impact on the soil, human activity has been changing the climate patterns under which species have evolved. Conditions that used to enable periods of migration, for example, have begun to change, but animals have not yet adapted to the new reality.

Another problem is extreme heat. For example, the increase in ocean temperatures is a direct threat to the survival of coral reefs, which form structures that house approximately 25% of marine biodiversity. In the Arctic, shrinking sea ice has been reducing the area for polar bears to live and hunt seals. In the Antarctic, the same phenomenon has impacted the population of krill, a crustacean that is the main food source for whales and penguins.

How can companies help biodiversity?

Pollinators, such as bees, are essential for agriculture—approximately 75% of crops depend on them. The pharmaceutical industry needs plants such as the Madagascar periwinkle, used to treat leukemia, and cinchona, the source of quinine to treat malaria. These examples show how industrial sectors depend on healthy ecosystems.

Taking care of biodiversity means driving sustainable development. After all, the long-term sustainability of businesses depends directly on the services provided by nature. Therefore, the private sector has a key role to play, both in reducing the negative impact of its activities and in investing in environmental conservation and restoration programs.

“Companies are invited to broaden the process of protecting biodiversity. Studying and monitoring fauna and flora, protecting areas and creating conservation units, for example, are appeals to the private sector to increase the effective protection of biodiversity,” says Melo.

Conservation example: monitoring Southern Muriquis

One example of a private sector initiative is the project to assess the conservation status of primates threatened with extinction in areas owned by the company Suzano in the interior of São Paulo, Brazil, carried out by UFV. The southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides), the largest primate in the Americas and a species threatened with extinction, is found on the São Sebastião do Rio Grande Farm and the Vitória Farm, which are High Conservation Value Areas managed by the pulp and paper company.

According to ICMBio, there are currently around 20 groups of this primate living in Brazil, in the Atlantic Forest biome, totaling 1,200 individuals. They live on treetops, feed on leaves, fruits, bark, seeds and nectar, and help sow native species. It is no wonder that they are known as “forest gardeners.” The study on Suzano land, which has already recorded 90 individuals of this species—or 8% of its total population in the country—contributes to their preservation. The project has even been recognized in the ICMBio National Action Plan for the Conservation of Muriquis and in the IUCN Red List.

According to Melo, the study monitors the number of southern muriqui individuals and other primate species that live on the same land, as well as the area used by the animals and their diets. Camera traps and thermal drones are some of the tools employed to help this mission. “We want to know the population of muriquis that live in these areas and protect the places where the animals can survive in the long term,” said Melo.

Learn about other Suzano initiatives focused on biodiversity on the Environment and Biodiversity and Sustainability pages.

What can we do to protect biodiversity?

Having a sustainable lifestyle, which includes consuming less, recycling, composting and choosing less-polluting fuels, among other efforts, will have a positive impact on biodiversity, even if indirect. A less polluted planet is a more preserved home for the species that live in the natural environment.

When traveling to destinations where animals are part of the tourist attraction, seek information about the tours to avoid supporting practices that perpetuate mistreatment. In addition, environmental organizations that support certain specific species often have “adoption” programs associated with financial support. Finally, when consuming everyday products, try to choose companies that are committed to sustainability.

Conclusion: Conserving biodiversity is essential

In healthy environments, birds sing, whales jump, jaguars run, elephants roll in the mud and penguins slide on ice. It is important to remember that each of these animals, and all others, as well as plants and fungi, play a key part in the social and economic well-being of the planet.

Important figures support this theory. In Australia, official data shows that the Great Barrier Reef contributes US$6.4 billion to the country’s economy, with 90% of this total, or US$5.7 billion, coming from tourism. According to the World Bank, the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest generates an annual economic value of at least US$317 billion. This value includes services such as tourism, sustainable production of wood, nuts and other goods, climate regulation, pollination and the ability to store CO2. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that the value of the ocean economy ranges between $3 trillion and $6 trillion per year, and that businesses related to the use of marine waters provide a livelihood for approximately 3 billion people.

More importantly, from water production to the formation of natural landscapes, biodiversity is essential for a healthy existence. Without it, not only would the survival of the human species be compromised, but life would also be much less colorful, sonorous and healthy.

Suzano has several initiatives focused on biodiversity, including our Commitments to Renewing Life. Learn more on the page dedicated to our long-term goals.

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