How our diets drive biodiversity loss

Summary

Biodiversity and well-functioning ecosystems are essential for the survival of humankind, for example through provisioning of food and feed, energy, materials, medicines and genetic resources. However, most ecosystems of the world have now been substantially altered by humans, which has led to a mass extinction of species. Our food system is one of the largest drivers for transgressing the planetary boundaries.
Agriculture occupies around 40% of the land surface, and crop land often shows very limited diversity. Many species cannot survive in intensely farmed agricultural land. In addition, agriculture strongly alters surrounding habitats through the extraction of water, pollution with pesticides, and the disruption of natural nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon cycles.