Biodiversity is not just a set of animal and plant species to be protected. It is the invisible network that supports our food, our health and the ability of ecosystems to resist change. And without real care of this wealth, man also risks putting himself in danger.
This was remembered by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella, who spoke at the Teatro Regio in Turin for the inauguration of Terra Madre Salone del Gusto.
“Biodiversity is a heritage that challenges us – said the Head of State, underlining how genetic variety has allowed the human race to develop for millennia. Without responsibility, without care for this wealth, man can compress it to the point of destroying it, and destroying himself – added Mattarella, highlighting the need for policies capable of recognizing “the right value” for biodiversity.
Biodiversity is what we eat every day
When we talk about biodiversity we often think of rare species, distant forests or endangered animals. In reality it also concerns our daily lives: the food we put on the table, the fertility of the soil, the availability of water and the ability of ecosystems to adapt to climate change.
Behind a fruit, a cereal or a typical local product there is not only a food tradition, but a heritage made up of agricultural varieties, seeds and knowledge handed down over time. The loss of this diversity makes food systems more fragile: less variety also means less ability to react to diseases, droughts and new environmental conditions.
Italy is a country rich in biodiversity, and yet…
Italy is among the European countries with the greatest richness of animal and plant species: it hosts over 30% of the animal species and almost 50% of the plant species present in Europe, despite a much smaller surface area than the continent. A wealth linked to the variety of environments, climates and territories, but which also brings with it a great responsibility for protection. Biodiversity-2026_DEF
According to the Legambiente report, however, this natural wealth is threatened: over 240 animal and plant species in Italy have a high probability of disappearing forever. Among the species at risk there are fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds, while various plant species are also threatened or vulnerable.
Among the main pressures are land consumption, transformation of natural habitats, climate change, pollution and overexploitation of resources. The picture described by the report highlights a systemic crisis: Italian biodiversity remains extraordinary, but coexists with a growing fragility of ecosystems.
It is clear, therefore, that protecting biodiversity is therefore not just about protecting nature, but also about the future of communities, agriculture and food systems. Every species lost, every agricultural variety erased, every ecosystem degraded represents one less chance to face future challenges.
