Biodiversity loss is threatening our planet and our global economy 

6 June 2025

Earth Day 2025

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2025 has stated that biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse make up half of the top 10 risks over the next 10 years. Global wildlife populations have declined catastrophically by 73% over the past half century and seemingly common species are also declining in genetic diversity at a much faster rate than expected. 

The WEF report delivers a stark warning about the risks we are creating by destroying nature, stating that “$44 trillion of economic value generation – over half the world’s total GDP – is potentially at risk as a result of the dependence of business on nature and its services”.

Action and education are at the forefront of halting and reversing the decline in biodiversity and this work was at the forefront of ACTAsia’s Earth Day programme 2025.

ACTAsia’s Earth Day focus on Biodiversity

A global call to action, Earth Day has been mobilising over a billion people annually on 22 April – and every day – to protect our planet. Earth Day is a core component of ACTAsia’s Caring for Life (CFL) education for children and this year the team promoted Biodiversity as part of the importance of ‘green education’.

This April marked ACTAsia’s FIFTH Earth Day event and every year the response from students and teachers is truly significant, as we educate the next generation about caring for their future by looking after our planet. Earth Day is vital in demonstrating the importance of collective action for global solutions.

ACTAsia collaborated with the China Biodiversity and Conservation Green Development Fund and the Shenzhen Foundation for Youth Development to launch a green education program for kindergarten, primary and secondary schools, and other educational institutions across China. ACTAsia has developed a series of green education resources for teachers and provides teacher training workshops to deliver the inquiry-based learning. The impactful lessons help young people understand the symbiotic relationship between species, recognise the current situation of global biodiversity decline and inspire a sense of responsibility to protect the earth’s ecology. During the sessions teachers discussed the importance of looking after the environment and how children can truly make a difference.

We are thrilled that 148 schools and educational institutions signed up for ACTAsia’s Earth Day program, 59,000 participated in the teacher training workshops and 16,591 students received the “Biodiversity” themed class. 

What happened in the CFL Earth Day lessons? 

Teachers discussed the importance of biodiversity and looking after the environment and how children can truly make a difference. 

ACTAsia’s educational toolkit helped teachers deliver a range of fun and meaningful activities. The goal of the guided sessions being that children learnt that all organisms in the ‘web of life’ have unique intrinsic value, recognise that biodiversity is under threat and that ecosystems are facing degradation. 

The impactful lessons encouraged students and teachers to take action, to establish the concept of respect for nature and green development and most importantly, to protect our vital biodiversity. 

Nine young biodiversity reporters from across the schools made a video for International Children’s Day, about ‘The Wildlife Wonders of Our Hometowns!’

“We’ve found amazing animals and plants hidden all over our beautiful country like treasures!” say the children. “These incredible creatures make our shared home vibrant and thriving – that’s what biodiversity means to us!”

Hands-on activities across the region included:

• At Tieying School in the Nansha District, Guangzhou, children made collages to build models of ecosystems. 
• The Zibo Science and Technology Museum carried out an immersive study program. Children expressed their strong determination to protect biodiversity and the environment with one student exclaiming: “I will save water so that the little fish in the river can live happily!” Another exclaimed: “I won’t litter anymore or I’ll destroy the homes of the little animals!”
• The Beijing Science Center put on a series of activities such as plant life cycle puzzles and outdoor nature observation.
• The environmental instructors of ZeroLife Lab combined teaching kits to conduct a World Earth Day themed classroom, discussing energy issues with children and integrating zero-waste handicrafts into the classroom.

What was the reaction from the Earth Day organisers?

ACTAsia was thrilled to hear the positive feedback from the many teachers who led the Earth Day sessions. As Mr. Li Jiangqiao commented: “The children’s response was beyond my expectation, they not only actively participated but also showed great interest in biodiversity, they asked questions curiously and participated in the games enthusiastically, and even after the activity was over, there were children who ran to me and told me that they wanted to become biologists.” ACTAsia is particularly grateful to Mr Jiangqiao, as he travelled to the Erlangshan Area Boarding School in Luding County, Sichuan Province to teach.

Reaching Rural Children

In order to make quality education resources available to rural children in remote areas, ACTAsia developed simple and usable teaching resources with technical support from Childhood Lesson, Penguin Teaching, Yuanheng Fluid Technology (Kunshan) Co., Ltd, 1881 Taiwan Professional Women’s Association, and Shanghai Yimmy Construction Engineering Service Co.

Ms. Yazhi Luo from Tang Guoan Memorial School in Zhuhai presented an online class entitled “Biodiversity and Individual Responsibility” to 139 children from the rural schools of Lujia Primary School, Sanmen Primary School, Dongnaijing Primary School, Ye Shan Primary School and Guoya Central Primary School.

ACTAsia’s teaching is in line with the United Nations and Government Strategy 

By championing biodiversity, ACTAsia’s educational goals are very much at the heart of the United Nation’s Climate Change call for action. Our goals are also in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity. Signed by 150 government leaders at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, the Convention on Biological Diversity is dedicated to promoting sustainable development. Both organisations understand the urgent need to protect our global biodiversity to ‘future proof’ our planet. 

If you have been inspired by ACTAsia’s Earth Day events and want to learn more about the benefits of sustainable living then please do get in touch. Equally please consider donating to ACTAsia to help further our global reach. 

Your contribution directly fuels our efforts, ensuring that the message of sustainable living reaches even further. Every donation counts, no matter the size. Help us further our cause and ensure a kinder future for animals, people and the environment.