What is biodiversity, and why should you care about maintaining it?

The importance of biodiversity and the loss of biodiversity is one of the most important topics for anyone who cares about the natural world. Read on to learn more about the threats to biodiversity and why it is important to maintain biodiversity.

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What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variety of life found on earth. It is a web of around 8.7 million species, from tiny ocean plankton to land and sea mammals. It is a complex life support system that has been created over billions of years. Each plant and animal contributes to this system in its own unique way.

Biodiversity includes all living things, like bacteria, plants, fungi, insects, animals, and humans. It describes both the number of species in an area, the number of individuals per species, and the balance of different species’ populations.

Biological diversity is not spread evenly: some areas, such as the tropics, have high biodiversity. The Amazon rainforest for example is one of the richest biodiversity hotspots on our planet and is home to more than 30% of the world’s species. Other areas, like the cold Arctic, have low biodiversity compared to the tropics, but support unique, iconic species.

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The importance of biodiversity

Biodiversity is the life-support system of our planet. We rely on it for food, energy, medicine, fresh water and soil purification, pest control, breaking down waste and many, many more. Without it, the environment couldn’t provide us with the things we need to survive.

Places that contain high biodiversity are also able to cope better with changes. They are more resistant to natural or human-related disturbances, such as climate change. They can recover quickly after major disasters, like wildfires.

The diversity of life is also important for humans through its contribution to medicine and pharmaceuticals, and for the survival of many local communities dependent on income from tourism, agriculture, fishing and more.

Biodiversity also has immense cultural, spiritual and aesthetic value. Certain animals and plants hold great significance in many cultures. From the Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon to the cities of Europe, nature is an important part of our heritage and identity.

Loss of biodiversity in the ocean, wildlife and culture

Biodiversity is under severe threat, now more than ever. Species are going extinct between 1,000 and 10,000 times faster than normally happens in nature.

WWF’s Living Planet Report shows that wildlife populations have declined by an average of 69% since 1970. This is particularly the case in the tropical regions, which are also home to some of the world’s most biodiverse landscapes. Also, over 150,300 species are on the IUCN Red List. 42,100 of these are in danger of extinction in the wild. They include amphibians, mammals, birds, sharks, rays, corals, and conifers.

The current figures on biodiversity loss show us how much we have affected the planet. Almost all of Earth’s ecosystems have seen dramatic changes over previous generations. Animal species are disappearing before they have even been discovered. And some experts believe we are in the midst of a sixth mass extinction. If many species die off at once, or on a large scale, there will be fewer or no species to fill the vacuum. This will destroy the delicate balance of nature. The loss of biodiversity is of real concern because we depend on many important ecosystem services, including clean water, fresh air and sustainable food production.

What are the threats to biodiversity and what will happen if we let the loss of biodiversity continue?

The loss of biodiversity is mainly caused by human disturbances on land and at sea. Human activities, like farming and livestock grazing, are affecting land and freshwater ecosystems. Loss of habitat is a huge threat to the survival of species all over the world. We are also cutting down more trees, altering and fragmenting habitats, and driving endangered species closer to extinction. And, in many cases, these threats are interconnected. They often act together to have a much bigger, lasting impact on a global scale.

The climate crisis is also having serious impacts on biodiversity. It disrupts the lifecycle of animals and plants, as well as their behaviour, such as annual bird migration. Rising temperatures are already impacting species around the world. Extreme weather also affects biodiversity, like the catastrophic 2019–20 Australian bushfires that affected nearly three billion animals. At the same time, rising CO2 levels are endangering sea life by rising ocean temperatures and acidity levels.

How fossil fuels threaten biodiversity

Climate change is mostly driven by the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas. Despite warnings from climate scientists and international bodies such as the UN and the International Energy Agency that we can have no new fossil fuel infrastructure anywhere in the world if we are to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees, fossil fuel companies such as Equinor continue to explore for more and more fossil fuels around the world.

As well as releasing more CO2 into the atmosphere, the extraction and use of fossil fuels, like coal, oil and gas, also play a role in polluting and destroying habitats. This can be devastating for marine and coastal biodiversity. Not only this, but it also affects human communities near extraction sites and oil pipelines.

How pollution, such as oil spills threaten biodiversity

Exposure to oil and absorbing contaminants through the skin can have a lasting effect on marine life. Oil spill effects can last for years or even generations, reducing their chances of survival and reproductive success. This leads to a decline in wild populations and a loss of biodiversity over time. The health effects of oil spills on humans are well studied and documented, too.

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Equinor does not take biodiversity loss seriously

Many of Equinor’s proposed oil and gas fields are located in vulnerable marine habitats rich with biodiversity and threatened marine species. In its position on biodiversity Equinor claims to support the “global ambition of reversing nature loss by 2030 and is ready to play its part.” However, Equinors aggressive pursuit of new oil and gas projects clearly shows that Equinor does not take biodiversity loss or the protection of nature seriously.

Equinor’s pursuit of new oil and gas reserves in areas without existing oil and gas infrastructure is especially alarming. According to WWF-Norway, over 50% of discoveries and exploration licences in the Equinor portfolio are so-called “greenfield” developments located more than 50km from existing Equinor infrastructure.

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Some of the worst Equinor projects for biodiversity

Campaigners in Canada, the UK, Brazil and Argentina have expressed grave concerns over the devastating impact that Equinor’s planned projects could have on biodiversity and marine habitats.

Fracking in Argentina and the USA

Equinor is involved in fracking projects in Argentina and in the USA. Fracking is a highly controversial method of extracting gas that is particularly polluting and devastating for biodiversity, as well as having been linked to health impacts such as low birth weights, asthma, lymphoma and other diseases. Local people living near Equinor’s fracking operation in Vaca Muerta, Argentina, blame the project for poisoning their drinking water, farmland and harvest. People have lost their livestock and also report health impacts. The Indigenous Mapuche people have been particularly impacted.

Risk of oil spill in eastern Canada

Equinor wants to develop the huge Bay du Nord project positioned in an ecologically sensitive and biologically significant area off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Flemish Pass, which sits 500 kilometres off the coast of St. John’s, is home to a plethora of marine life, including millions of seabirds and endangered fish, sea turtles and whales.

A major spill could release millions of litres of oil into the North Atlantic, likely decimating marine ecosystems and wildlife and ruining existing and future fishery potential. An effective cleanup would be virtually impossible in this remote region known for extreme weather conditions. Equipment to cap a well blowout is not required to be kept anywhere near the project, and it would take up to 36 days to ship a capping stack from either Norway or Brazil. Drilling a relief well would take even longer, with an estimate of 100 to 115 days, during which an out-of-control well would release millions of litres of oil into the North Atlantic.

Independent scientists and the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) estimate that there’s a 16% chance of a serious spill from Bay du Nord and go as far as saying that Equinor’s environmental statement lacks credibility by underestimating the risks of an oil spill.

Read more about the Bay du Nord oil field.

Threatening biodiversity in Brazil

Equinor’s mega-project Bacalhau in Brazil could also have devastating impacts on biodiversity. The Environmental Impact Study (EIA) and the Environmental Impact Report (RIMA) studies for the Bacalhau oil field found that there are 18 species of birds, 6 species of whales and dolphins, 5 species of sea turtles and 25 species of fishery resources threatened with extinction in the region.

Environmental and marine groups are concerned about the negative impacts that may occur during the production phase. This could include collision with vessels, behavioural changes and changes in migration patterns, both due to the transport of materials, equipment and hydrocarbon transfer, as well due to noise, vibrations and lights. Marine groups have also warned against the potential devastating impact that accidents such as oil spills (crude or diesel), a gas leak accident or a vessel accident while transporting waste to shore, would have on marine mammals, birds, fish, and other marine fauna species.

Furthermore, marine biologists have found that Equinor’s impact assessment significantly underestimated the potential impact if there was a major oil spill or blowout from Bacalhau.

Read more about the Bacalhau oil field.

Opening a new fossil fuel frontier in Argentine Sea

Equinor is conducting seismic exploration in the Argentine Sea, which entails using sound wave cannons underwater to discover new oil and gas fields. This creates powerful sounds which can impact an area of 300,000 km2. This is roughly the same size as Italy. This is the first time an offshore oil and gas drilling exploration will be carried out in deep and ultra-deep waters in the Argentine Sea. There are many risks associated with operating at a depth of 4000 metres, and the strong currents in the area will greatly increase the consequences of an oil spill disaster in this ocean area with unique biodiversity values.

Scientists have reported that the area that Equinor wants to open for fossil fuel exploration supports a complex trophic web, includes spawning areas for commercially important species, and is a feeding and migratory stopover area for top predators. At least seven species of threatened seabirds feed in the area. Local people living along the Argentinian coast have reported an increase in the number of dead whales washing up on their shores after Equinor started its seismic exploration in the area.

Read more about Equinor’s offshore exploration in Argentina.

The pursuit of Arctic oil

Equinor owns shares in one of the world’s northernmost exploration licences, Wisting. The field’s location in the Arctic is close to the vulnerable ice edge zone, which The Norwegian Polar Institute has nicknamed “Norway’s little rainforest”. The marginal ice zone is a biodiversity hotspot crucially important for a number of species and biological processes. Practically all Arctic life begins here, and it is the most important area in the Arctic.

Research indicates that the Arctic is particularly vulnerable to pollution from oil drilling, which has meant that many financial actors have ruled out oil exploration there. However, Equinor continues to show interest in Arctic oil drilling, despite its potential consequences. The potential of a large-scale oil spill here would have a catastrophic impact on marine biodiversity in Norway and around the world as this area is critical for the survival of many threatened Arctic species and essential for the rest of the globe as it supports enormous fisheries.

Read more about Equinor’s exploration in the Arctic.

Rosebank in the UK could be a marine disaster

Equinor wants to open the biggest undeveloped oil field in the UK, Rosebank. If Rosebank is developed, it could pose some immediate risks to the wildlife surrounding it. Equinor’s construction plans include drilling a total of twelve wells into the seabed, creating a gas pipeline from the site to the West of Shetlands and introducing a floating production storage facility.

In its environmental statement, the company admits that constructing the wells ‘have the potential to lead to changes in the seabed’. The damage includes a ‘direct loss of benthic species and habitat’ and ‘wider indirect disturbance’ to surrounding habitats. The construction poses a risk to nearby coral and sponge growths and the species that rely on them as a habitat. The gas export pipeline will pass through the Faroe-Shetland Sponge belt, a unique habitat recognised as a ‘vulnerable marine ecosystem’.

Drilling can also create underwater noise pollution, which can negatively impact passing dolphins and whales. An oil spill from the drills or pipes could have a devastating impact on marine life. The report In Deep Water, published by Oceana and Uplift, is the first-ever comprehensive review of how the UK’s oil and gas industry is damaging British seas. The report finds that a major oil spill from Rosebank could risk serious impact to at least 16 UK Marine Protected Areas.

Read more about the Rosebank oil field.

Oil spill in Bahamas

In 2019, Hurricane Dorian caused widespread devastation across the Bahamas. The hurricane damaged the South Riding Point oil terminal, then owned by Equinor, and led to a major oil spill estimated at 55,000 barrels (2.3 million gallons). Since the spill, local environmentalist interests, including Bahamas National Trust (BNT), Save The Bays and Waterkeepers Bahamas have expressed their concerns regarding the cleanup process. In February 2023, Equinor announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell its shares in the terminal, but campaign group Save The Bays has called for the sale of the facility to be halted until the clean-up of the massive is done, saying amounts of residual oil still remain on the site.

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Equinor has a dark history of polluting projects, but also for getting stopped in its tracks.

There are many examples of how Equinor prioritises their aggressive pursuit of oil and gas over the protection of nature and biodiversity. But there are also many examples of when Equinor’s nature and climate destruction has been stopped by public mobilisation and opposition.

Political opposition to Equinor in Canada

In 2006, Equinor was forced to pull out of Canadian tar sands following huge public and political opposition. Tar sands is a particularly dirty way of extracting fossil fuels. The type of oil in the tar sands is called “bitumen”. It is extremely heavy (like tar) and difficult to extract. Getting it from deep in the ground to the surface can use up massive amounts of water — enough to rival what a small city may use on a daily basis. Even more water and energy is needed to refine it into anything resembling what goes into your gas tank. The amount of climate-polluting greenhouse gases emitted per barrel of tar sands oil can be 30% higher (throughout its life cycle) than conventional oil.  Tar sands also puts air, water and wildlife ecosystems at the risk of industrial damage and deadly oil spills.

Exit in an Australian Bight project after oil spill risk

In 2021, Equinor was forced to cancel its plans to drill for oil in the Australian Bight, one of the world’s last unexploited areas - a pristine wilderness home to thriving coastal communities, whale sanctuaries and more unique marine life than the Great Barrier Reef. In 2018, a leaked document revealed how an oil spill in the Great Australian Bight could reach even farther north than Sydney and surrounding beaches, coating thousands of kilometres of Australian coastline as well as the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

Norwegian wastewater exported to Denmark

In 2023, Greenpeace took peaceful action against Equinor and the Norwegian oil industry’s export of toxic wastewater to Denmark, a practice that has been going on for more than twenty-five years, polluting Danish waters. Norway’s state-owned oil company Equinor is one of the main companies involved in the export. As much as 150,000 tonnes of toxic water is believed to be exported to Denmark each year, where it is treated before being released into Danish waters. The current treatment is unable to remove harmful toxic and carcinogenic chemicals such as PFOS and PAHs from the water, and local people have reported a dramatic decline in fish populations in the areas where the wastewater is discharged. Following the action, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency announced that they would stop the import of toxic water from Norway.

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Together we can protect biodiversity

The need to rapidly phase out fossil fuels has never been more important. The dramatic loss of biodiversity and the escalating climate crisis means that we have to do everything we can to stop Equinor and the fossil fuel industry from pouring fuel on the fire.

‍Click here to find ways you can get involved in the campaign to get Equinor out of oil and gas.