The International Year of Biodiversity should focus the attention of the world on the species and natural processes that keep us all alive, but that are overlooked all too often, Conservation International (CI) said.

Biodiversity conservation is essential for human survival and natural processes made possible by the diversity of life underpin the economies of all nations, but are often forgotten as politicians focus on narrow, short-term agendas.

With the United Nations declaration of 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, the world is invited to participate in activities that will safeguard biodiversity and the services that it provides.

Claude Gascon, Executive Vice President for Programs and Science at CI, said: “CI’s work around the world on the protection of ecosystems for the benefit of humanity deals with key issues ranging from protecting our supplies of food and fresh water to preventing the spread of diseases and reducing climate change – at the heart of all of these is biodiversity, it is what sustains us all.”

CI works with businesses and governments to ensure that sustainable practices are undertaken that preserve biodiversity, reduce climate change and provide the best opportunities for economic development. The organization also works on the ground with communities in environmentally important areas to help them to find ways to improve their lives and increase their income while protecting the environment.

CI’s work in the Philippines involves conservation initiatives in both terrestrial and marine environments. The Philippines is a recognized global center of biodiversity. A total of 228 KBAs are identified for the country, including known habitats of at least 418 globally threatened; 440 endemic or restricted range species; and 67 globally significant congregations of mangroves, seaweeds, seagrasses, corals, echinoderms, mollusks, elasmobranchs, freshwater and reef fishes, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

Protecting biodiversity is essential to human survival, especially food security. Stocks of commercially important fish are crashing around the world, threatening both the livelihoods and the health of millions of people in the world’s poorest countries who depend on them.

Declines or extinctions of insects and animals that pollinate plants can lead to severe consequences for crop yields, with profound impacts on economies and human health, as well as damaging countries’ abilities to be self-sufficient.

Nature provides mechanisms to both reduce the spread of disease and to treat it. Numerous plants, animals and microorganisms produce compounds that have been used to develop drugs to deal with illnesses ranging from cancer to headaches to depression. Many animals eat disease-causing mosquitoes and other insects.