The data is devastating. Over the past five decades, wild vertebrate populations have experienced catastrophic decline. Everywhere on the planet, there are fewer animals.
The recent Living Planet 2024 report, prepared by WWF and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), shows that wildlife abundance fell by an average of 73% between 1970 and 2020, presenting a particularly bleak picture in Latin America and in the Caribbean. the reduction reached 95%. This downward trend, which varies depending on the region, continues to accelerate since during the previous assessment, this reduction was 69%.
The study of nearly 35,000 population trends of 5,495 species reveals that the planet is losing its ecosystems at a dizzying rate, threatening the essential services that nature provides us: clean air, water, healthy soils and climate regulation.
“Nature asks for help,” warns Kirsten Schuijt, director of WWF International. As the planet approaches dangerous tipping points that pose serious threats to humanity, an enormous effort will be needed over the next five years to address the twin climate and nature crises.
Schuijt assures that the Amazon forest, which is home to more than 10% of terrestrial biodiversity, is in danger. Its degradation could release up to 75 billion tonnes of carbon. Additionally, between 70% and 90% of coral reefs will disappear due to a 1.5°C increase in global temperature, which will have serious consequences for the communities that depend on them.
An unprecedented global crisis
Data from the Living Planet Index, an early indicator of extinction risk and potential loss of healthy ecosystems, shows an alarming decline in populations of terrestrial, marine and freshwater species. Populations of freshwater species topped the list, with an 85% decline, followed by terrestrial species (69%) and marine species (56%).
The report highlights some specific cases of other threatened species: Hawksbill turtles have seen a 57% decline in the number of nesting females within the Great Barrier Reef. For its part, the Amazonian pink dolphin saw its population decline by 65%, while the tucuxi dolphin, the smallest river dolphin, suffered a 75% reduction in the Mamirauá reserve, in Brazil. Additionally, due to recent extreme heat and drought in 2023, more than 330 river dolphins died in just two lakes.
Despite this serious crisis, the index also shows that some preservation attempts have yielded favorable results. For example, the annual increase in the mountain gorilla population in the mountain ranges of East Africa and the fact that European bison populations have begun to recover in Central Europe. However, these successes are individual and are not enough to alleviate the scale of the problem.
The next five years will be crucial
The study leaves no doubt: what happens in the next five years will determine the future of biodiversity and life on Earth. Countries have set targets under the Global Biodiversity Framework, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, which include limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C and eradication of poverty.
However, the Living Planet Report shows that national commitments and actions are still far from what is needed to achieve what has been proposed for 2030. It is estimated that 30% of the targets will stagnate or deteriorate compared to the baseline of base of 2015.
The upcoming biodiversity and climate summits (COP16 and COP29) are seen as crucial opportunities for governments to take more ambitious action and step up efforts to halt biodiversity loss. Additionally, WWF urges governments and businesses to allocate more funds to sustainable activities that promote nature conservation and restoration.
The conservation director of WWF Spain, Enrique Segovia, emphasizes that “even if the situation is dramatic, we have not yet passed the point of no return”. We still have some room to guide nature towards recovery by 2030. Decisions made at that time will be vital to changing course, because as Segovia says: “The power – and opportunity – to change the trajectory current is in our hands. “We can restore our living planet if we act now. »
The WWF report is not only a warning, but also a call to action. The climate crisis and biodiversity decline are linked, and any delay in action will only exacerbate the problem. In the words of Andrew Terry, Director of Conservation and Policy at ZSL: “We know what to do and we know that, given the chance, nature can recover; “What we need now is greater action and ambition. »
The future of the planet and of humanity will depend on the decisions made today. The window of opportunity to save biodiversity is still open, but only if we act as soon as possible.
