Recognising that the Convention on Biological Diversity definition of biodiversity includes the variation within and between species and of ecosystems, different schemes have been applied to define hotspots, leading to hundreds of different areas being proposed as hotspots. However, all identify a set of priority areas that cover a small portion of the Earth, but house an exceptionally high proportion of its biodiversity. Because biodiversity underpins all life on Earth, these hotspots have significant global value as they contain species and habitats that are found nowhere else. Their loss would mean loss of species and habitats that provide wild and farmed food, medicine and other materials, and services such as climate regulation, pollination and water purification, all of which maintain the health of the ecosystems we depend upon.
IPCC
Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability
IPCC Report