An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plants, animals, microorganisms and their nonliving environment, of which people are an integral part. The benefits that we as humans derive from nature, such as timber and food, or water and climate regulation, are all ecosystem services. There are several types of ecosystems that provide these services: mountain and polar, forest and woodlands, inland water, drylands, cultivated, urban, coastal, island, and marine.

Globally, about 1 billion people, mostly from developing countries, are undernourished. Most of these people live in countries that are not self-sufficient in food production, in particular in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The livelihoods and well-being of these people is critically dependent on their farm produce, and on the local landscape with its ecosystem functions, to provide ecosystem services that sufficiently support their livelihoods and income. Water is a key driver of several ecosystem functions, including biomass and crop yields, as well as various supporting and regulatory ecosystem services.

The understanding of linkages between ecosystems, water, and food production is important to the health of all three, and managing for the sustainability of these connections is becoming increasingly necessary. In many places, changes in the global water cycle, caused largely by human pressures, are seriously affecting ecosystem health and human well-being but the increasing prominence of water in the global dialogue has meant an increased awareness of how healthy ecosystems can bring concrete benefits to the people living in them.

Smart ecosystem management can filter water without pipes, diminish flooding. Mycofiltration – allowing water to filter through the organism that spores mushrooms – can remove industrial pollutants from water. And people living in areas where natural solutions are employed have reported an astonishing rise in the value of real estate, beyond the obvious benefits to health and well-being. Healthy people need a healthy planet; preserving the delicate balance of nature while providing enough water for an increasingly thirsty human population is of paramount importance. The planet is a living organism that must be sustained so we can survive. This is our greatest challenge. It may be our last chance.

>> Access to a selection of UN publications on water and ecosystems
>> Access to a selection of UN publications on water and ecosystem services