A Severe decline in average size of monitored wildlife populations has been driven by human activity such as habitat destruction and compounded by climate change, says WWF’s Living Planet Report out this morning
The report warns that the world is dangerously close to irreversible global tipping points such as the melting of polar ice sheets and decline of the Amazon rainforest
With time running out to meet vital 2030 goals, the report calls for urgent action on the food, finance and energy systems
the landmark report warns that the world is fast approaching dangerous irreversible tipping points including the potential collapse of the Amazon rainforest and the rapid melting of polar ice, both of which help regulate the planet’s climate and sustain a wide range of life. Passing these tipping points, the report warns, would “pose grave threats to humanity and most species, and would damage Earth’s life-support systems and destabilise societies everywhere”.
The report reviews global progress towards the 2030 sustainable development goals that are vital for avoiding these tipping points and calls for urgent action to transform the way we grow our food, generate energy and run our financial system to ensure nature is protected and restored.
“It is no exaggeration to say that what happens in the next five years will determine the future of life on Earth,” the report warns, in a wake-up call to global leaders ahead of the vital COP16 and COP29 summits on biodiversity and climate in Colombia and Azerbaijan this Autumn.
The destruction of nature is plain to see from the Living Planet Index, which is compiled by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) as part of the Living Planet Report and includes almost 35,000 population trends of 5,495 species of vertebrates from 1970-2020. The report and index are published every two years, and this 15th edition is the most extensive yet.
While the overall 73% decline in average monitored wildlife populations is shocking, species in Latin America and the Caribbean have seen even more extreme average declines of 95%. The less severe declines in Europe and North America are due to countries there, including the UK, having destroyed much of their biodiversity before the 1970 benchmark. These countries are now effectively offshoring nature loss to other parts of the world, for example by importing livestock feed grown on formerly wild areas, including biodiverse areas such as the Amazon.
Declines in wildlife populations often act as an early warning indicator of increasing extinction risk and the potential loss of healthy ecosystems. When ecosystems are damaged, they can become more vulnerable to tipping points – being pushed beyond a critical threshold resulting in substantial and potentially irreversible change. The report warns that global tipping points such as the dieback of the Amazon rainforest, or the mass die-off of coral reefs, could create shockwaves far and wide, impacting food security and livelihoods on a global scale.
The Amazon – home to 10% of all the wildlife species on the planet – has been ravaged by extreme drought and catastrophic wildfires in recent months. Last year, extreme heat and drought resulted in the mass die-offs of rare pink river dolphins and other species and this year could be worse still. The span and intensity of the drought has sparked fears that the world’s largest tropical rainforest is perilously close to reaching its tipping point – experts predict that if 20-25% of the Amazon is lost, it could go into irretrievable decline. Yet even before this year’s wildfires, up to 17% of the Amazon rainforest was estimated to have already been destroyed. The world’s richest and most-varied forest appears to be losing its resilience to change – the tipping point warnings are flashing red.
Reviewing global progress towards the critical 2030 nature and climate goals, the report offers clear ways forward on the major drivers of the destruction of nature and climate change – the food, finance and energy sectors.
The report calls for urgent action from world leaders to transform these systems and help them become a force for good instead of fuelling the destruction of nature ahead of the vital COP16 biodiversity summit and COP29 climate summit.
Tanya Steele, chief executive at WWF-UK, said: “The Living Planet Report serves as a health check for the planet, with wildlife population sizes a key indicator for the state of the wider natural world. A staggering 73% decline in just 50 years is truly shocking and must be a wake-up call for our leaders ahead of the crucial COP16 and COP29 summits.
“More worrying still is the prospect of reaching global tipping points, risking not just the survival of precious animal species, but the basis for human society as well. We rely on nature for so much – the food we eat, the air we breathe, our mental health and well-being. If we pass these tipping points, we’ll be putting our societies, our economies, and the future of our children at risk.
“It’s not too late to change course – this could be a turning point instead of a tipping point. As a G7 nation, the UK must take bold action to transform our finance, energy and food systems to protect our world. We are calling for a Living Planet Act to ensure the UK government leads the way in tackling this global crisis and works tirelessly to meet the crucial 2030 global targets.”
