Bee pollinating flower, Biodiversity

Biodiversity Loss Threatens Social Justice

WWF’s 2020 Living Planet Report reported that: “The world has seen an average 68% drop in mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and amphibian populations since 1970. . . .”

Biodiversity is the variety of life in all its forms. It is made up of all living species, their genetic variation, and the interaction of these living creatures within complex ecosystems. Biodiversity provides clean air, fresh water, good quality soil, and crop pollination. And the natural beauty that we value.

Biodiversity loss — partly due to the climate crisis — is caused primarily by changes in land use, habitat loss and degradation: for example, industrial agriculture and logging. Other causes include the overexploitation of species as in fishing, non-native species and disease, and pollution.

Social Justice Stands To Lose

Mangroves-biodiversityThe cost of biodiversity loss will be borne by the most vulnerable communities by increasingly endangering their means of sustenance: growing food, finding clean water, supporting their families, and being able to stay where they live. In essence, as biodiversity loss and climate change worsen, the prospects for the socially just development of these communities grow dimmer.

Coastal mangrove forests, as an example, are vitally important to their ecosystem and the communities which economically depend upon them. They provide shelter and food for a myriad of living animals and fish, many of which can be harvested and sold in local markets. They naturally filter sea water, which can in turn be used for irrigation. And they store carbon and reduce flooding helping to protect nature.

These communities, sustained by such mangrove forests, are able to provide employment, healthcare and education, along with a more secure future for their families. That’s social justice. But it’s not guaranteed as the climate crisis accelerates and biodiversity loss worsens.

N4J’s Approach To Biodiversity Loss

We are a non-profit founded to use nature to address the social justice needs of vulnerable populations confronting the climate crisis. Our approach to helping vulnerable communities affected by climate change is two-fold:

  • Assist these communities to identify optimal ways to support habitat protection and restoration (biodiversity) and
  • Provide means for these communities to secure the resources and knowledge to create a sustainable economic future.


It is often the case that these vulnerable communities know what the challenges are, what they need to provide for the future, but don’t have the resources or voice to request and undertake the necessary adaptations to their climate challenges.

This is the approach we are applying with existing projects in Canada, Ghana, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, and the USA. In addition, we are initiating and/or exploring projects in Botswana, India, Kenya, Nepal, and Zambia.

Our efforts include field research, resource hub creation, project team development, and finance resourcing, among others. We will keep you posted as to our successes, failures – and most importantly, lessons learned.

Author

  • N4J Team Member Hank Cauley

    An engineer who later got a business degree to achieve social and environmental justice through existing economic structures. He’s started or built many organizations and projects. Hank lives in Falls Church, VA, with his wife and is an avid bee-keeper.

    View all posts

More to explore

First 30×30: Indigenous Nations Lead the Way

In the United States, small-scale farmers account for 90% of all farms but manage less than 50% of total farmland. This imbalance is becoming more acute as small farmers face mounting challenges: the average age of these farmers exceeds 60, the costs of agricultural inputs continue to rise, and large-scale farms benefit from economies of scale. Compounding these difficulties, small farms are disproportionately affected by extreme weather events, droughts, and changing growing seasons—factors that disrupt crop yields and livestock production. These pressures are driving younger generations away from farming, threatening the backbone of the nation’s agricultural network.

For companies seeking to build resilient, ethical, and climate-smart supply chains, this program offers a scalable and strategic solution. Through partnering with farmers through the program, businesses can ensure a reliable supply of high-quality agricultural products while supporting the long-term viability of smallholder farms.

Read More »
North Carolina Agricultural Fields with a Farmer House

Growing American Farmer Prosperity Program: How we’re Reinventing Supply Chain Resilience through Regenerative Smallholder Farming

In the United States, small-scale farmers account for 90% of all farms but manage less than 50% of total farmland. This imbalance is becoming more acute as small farmers face mounting challenges: the average age of these farmers exceeds 60, the costs of agricultural inputs continue to rise, and large-scale farms benefit from economies of scale. Compounding these difficulties, small farms are disproportionately affected by extreme weather events, droughts, and changing growing seasons—factors that disrupt crop yields and livestock production. These pressures are driving younger generations away from farming, threatening the backbone of the nation’s agricultural network.

For companies seeking to build resilient, ethical, and climate-smart supply chains, this program offers a scalable and strategic solution. Through partnering with farmers through the program, businesses can ensure a reliable supply of high-quality agricultural products while supporting the long-term viability of smallholder farms.

Read More »

Scaling Regenerative Agriculture For BIPOC Farmers

Nature For Justice’s Farmer Inclusion team is passionately committed to advancing regenerative agriculture, a transformative approach that not only fosters healthier soils but also minimizes input costs and enhances the resilience of farming systems against extreme and erratic weather conditions, as well as the broader impacts of climate change. Our strategy is grounded in a comprehensive multi-step approach that emphasizes co-creation and shared risk among farmers. We anticipate that scaling our initiatives will rely heavily on private sector investors recognizing the immense value of our bridge financing model, which effectively reduces both financial and ecological risks while ensuring competitive returns. This model ultimately aims to lessen our dependence on continual philanthropic support.

To date, in North Carolina, we have successfully engaged over 125 farmers who manage more than 7,000 acres dedicated to regenerative agriculture. This milestone has been achieved through the disbursement of over $1 million to these farmers, with an additional $2.5 million forecasted for distribution by 2025. We are also preparing to expand our initiatives into Virginia, with ambitious plans to extend our positive impact throughout the Southeast and Midwest.

Read More »

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *