Durban — The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) revealed that there is an average decline of 69% in species populations since 1970.
The report stated that populations in Latin America and the Caribbean have fared worst, with an average decline of 94%. Global freshwater species have also been disproportionately impacted, declining 83% on average.
The monitored populations of vertebrates that have seen a decline include mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish.
The report identifies several key drivers of biodiversity decline including habitat loss, species overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, climate change and diseases. The report calls on policymakers to transform economies so that natural resources are properly valued. As biodiversity loss and climate change share many of the same underlying causes, actions that transform food production and consumption, rapidly cut emissions, and invest in conservation can mitigate the twin crises.
President and chief executive of WWF-US Carter Roberts said the world is waking up to the fact that our future depends on reversing the loss of nature just as much as it depends on addressing climate change.
“Everyone has a role to play in reversing these trends, from individuals to companies to governments,” he said.
Global chief scientist of WWF Rebecca Shaw said the plunges in wildlife populations can have dire consequences for our health and economies.
“When wildlife populations decline to this degree, it means dramatic changes are impacting their habitats and the food and water they rely on. We should care deeply about the unravelling of natural systems because these same resources sustain human life,” Shaw said.
The Living Planet Index, provided by the Zoological Society of London, is an early warning indicator of the health of nature. This year’s edition analyzes almost 32 000 species populations, with more than 838 new species and just over 11 000 new populations added since the 2020 edition. It provides a comprehensive measure of how wildlife is responding to environmental pressures driven by biodiversity loss and climate change, while also allowing us to better understand the impact of people on biodiversity.
Some of the species captured in the Living Planet Index include the Amazon pink river dolphin, which saw populations plummet by 65% between 1994 and 2016 in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, in the Brazilian state of Amazonas; the eastern lowland gorilla, whose numbers saw an estimated 80% decline in DRC’s Kahuzi-Biega National Park between 1994 and 2019; and South and Western Australian sea lion pups, which plunged by two-thirds between 1977 and 2019.
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