The article is based on the WWF 2024 Living Planet Report, which compiles information about the state of the planet, particularly in the context of biodiversity loss. The report highlights the condition of nature using the Living Planet Index (LPI), which measures changes in the relative abundance of populations, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish.
Key Findings:
- Over the past 50 years (1970–2020), the average size of monitored wildlife populations has decreased by 73%. This analysis is based on nearly 35,000 population trends and 5,495 species.
- The most significant declines were observed in freshwater populations (85%), followed by terrestrial (69%) and marine populations (56%).
Causes of Population Decline:
According to the report, the main drivers include:
- Habitat degradation and loss – primarily caused by food systems.
- Overexploitation of natural resources.
- Invasive species.
- Diseases.
- Climate change – particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, where habitat loss and climate change are closely linked.
Monitoring and Early Warnings:
The LPI serves as an early warning indicator for extinction risks and helps assess ecosystem health. When a population declines below a certain level, a species may lose its ability to perform critical ecological roles, such as seed dispersal, pollination, grazing, or nutrient cycling. This undermines ecosystem functions and the benefits they provide to humanity, such as food, clean water, and carbon storage.
Critical Tipping Points:
The report emphasizes that nature is disappearing at an alarming rate, and cumulative impacts could lead to catastrophic tipping points with irreversible consequences:
- Biosphere: Mass coral reef die-offs would devastate fisheries and coastal storm protection for hundreds of millions of people. The Amazon rainforest tipping point could release vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, disrupting global weather patterns.
- Ocean circulation: The collapse of the subpolar gyre south of Greenland would dramatically alter weather patterns in Europe and North America.
- Cryosphere: Melting ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica could raise sea levels by several meters, while thawing permafrost could release massive amounts of carbon dioxide and methane.
Sector-Specific Actions:
Energy Sector:
- The way we produce and consume energy is the primary driver of climate change. Rapid action is needed to transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and maintaining the 1.5°C temperature threshold.
- While global renewable energy capacity has nearly doubled over the past decade, the pace and scale of transformation are still insufficient.
Food Sector:
- Food production is a major driver of nature’s decline, occupying 40% of habitable land, causing habitat loss, consuming 70% of water, and accounting for over a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Actions needed:
- Scaling up nature-positive production.
- Ensuring nutritious diets for all – with 735 million people still hungry, even as obesity rates rise.
- Reducing food waste – currently, 30–40% of food produced is never consumed.
Finance Sector:
- Over half of the global GDP (55%)—around $58 trillion—is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services. However, financial systems largely undervalue nature.
- Key recommendations:
- Financing green initiatives: Mobilizing funds for large-scale conservation and climate action through innovative financial solutions like conservation funds, green bonds, and nature-positive investments.
- Green transformation of finance: Aligning financial systems with nature and climate goals by valuing nature and addressing climate-related risks.
Conclusion:
The report underscores the urgency of collaboration between governments, the private sector, and civil society. Investment in nature-based solutions and systemic reforms are critical to achieving global goals and ensuring a sustainable future for the planet.