Thomas Crowther

The importance of protecting biodiversity as we address climate change

"A key concept in ecology is that no single species exists on its own. Everything depends on other species to survive, and that includes humans.”

Thomas Crowther is professor of ecology in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich where he founded the Crowther Lab. He is also the founder of Restor, an online restoration and conservation platform, and co-chair of the advisory board for the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. 

Based on his insights into the connections between biodiversity and climate change, he outlines the benefits of healthy ecosystems, and in particular why restoring degraded land with appropriate indigenous species does more than just reduce biodiversity loss; it  also opens up long-term economic opportunities for local communities.

As one of the World Economic Forum's Young Global Leaders of 2021, he also understands the need for public engagement to encourage governments and businesses to take action.