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Expansive farmlands in Europe and elsewhere are either already abandoned or projected to become abandoned. Afforestation on these abandoned farmlands is highly popular, but it only addresses the climate crisis, not the biodiversity emergency. An alternative to afforestation is rewilding, which would contribute to combating both the biodiversity and climate crises while also facilitating socio-ecological sustainability by increasing ecosystem resilience.
The astronomical number of individual microorganisms that exist on Earth provides an immeasurable trove from which potential microbial-based solutions can be drawn upon to drive the development of sustainable industries. However, there is little information documenting the spectrum of global microbial biodiversity and how human activity has impacted the taxonomic and functional diversity of microbial communities. Here, we discuss how promoting microbial innovation can encourage environmental, social, and corporate governance investments towards protecting global biodiversity for all life whilst meeting the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.