CMA

63 Vinod Paliwal, G M Sustainable Development, Sunil Sood Unit Head, Dr A K Singh, Head Sustainable Development Birla Corporation Limited, Chanderia Unit Biodiversity: Relevance for the Cement Industries ABSTRACT The biosphere comprises of a complex collections of innumerable organism known as the Biodiversity, which constitute the vital life support for survival of human race. For any kind of animal or plant each individual is neither exactly the same as any other nor are species or ecosystems. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment identifies 24 ecosystem services that maintain the essential life support processes of the planet, including primary production and nutrient recycling, pollination, air and water purification, waste detoxification and decomposition, soil fertility regeneration, protection from natural disasters and disease and production and maintenance of biodiversity. There are five main threats to biodiversity, which are commonly recognized in the programs of work of the Convention i.e. habitat change, invasive alien species, climate change, nutrient loading and pollution and over exploitation. These work synergistically together to amplify negative impacts on wild species. Cement industries should constantly strive to be ecologically positive with an aim to meet the needs of present without compromising the needs of future and ensure the world is a better place as a result of our role in it. Future of our business and associated communities is linked to survival of land ecosystems. Industry should recognize the need to protect and maintain a healthy biodiversity for long term sustainability. Introduction Biological diversity, abbreviated as biodiversity, represent the sum total of various life forms such as unicellular fungi, protozoa, bacteria, and multi cellular organisms such as plants, fishes and mammals at various biological levels including gens, habitats and ecosystem, is the result of billions of years of evolution shaped by natural processes and increasingly, by human influences. The biosphere comprises of a complex collections of innumerable organism known as the Biodiversity, which constitute the vital life support for survival of human race. The term biodiversity was first coined by Walter G. Rosen at the first National Forum on Biodiversity in 1986. The term biodiversity was introduced and after it began its rapid spread around the world. The science of biodiversity has become the science of our future. Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. For any kind of animal or plant each individual is neither exactly the same as any other nor are species or ecosystems. Biodiversity is generally described at three levels 1. Ecosystem diversity: It is defined as the aggregation of the various habitats, community types and abiotic environment in a given area. India has one of the richest ecosystem diversity ranging from deserts, plains, hills, mangroves, rainforest to cold Himalayas.