Biodiversity Loss: Global Drivers, Trade Impacts, and Conservation Strategies

Biodiversity serves as the foundation for human well-being and survival, yet it faces unprecedented threats. International trade has emerged as a primary driver of biodiversity loss, responsible for 30% of global species threats and exerting disproportionate impacts on developing countries. This paper reviews the complex relationship between international trade and biodiversity security, examining how trade-related factors, including agricultural expansion, climate change, deforestation, wildlife trade, and illegal hunting that contribute to biodiversity degradation. The study synthesizes research on biodiversity footprint accounting, multi-regional input-output analysis, and monitoring systems, emphasizing that biodiversity threats flow from developed to developing nations, with Central America, South America, Africa, and Asia being the primary regions of loss. The paper identifies research gaps in understanding cross-regional biodiversity conservation responsibilities, clarifying the actual gains and losses in trade processes, and developing effective monitoring and early warning systems, thereby providing insights for future biodiversity conservation strategies and international cooperation.