Numerous studies have indicated that the world is experiencing the sixth mass extinction event. The top threats to animal and plant species are linked to human activities and the overexploitation of wildlife and plants, driven by the ever-rising demand for food and energy. With the growth of human population and industrialization, human activities are destroying nature and wiping out animal and plant species at an astonishing rate, threatening our human life and well-being.
On 6 May 2019, a landmark United Nations report entitled “Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services” was released. The summary was approved at the 7th Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Plenary session. Based on a review of about 15,000 scientific and government sources, the global report comprehensively examines the state of the planet’s biodiversity in 15 years.
Six months earlier (October 30, 2018), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) also released its latest report on the current state and trends of global vertebrate biodiversity. The report was entitled “Living Planet Report 2018”. For a better understanding of the whole profile of biodiversity loss on Earth, key facts and statistics about biodiversity loss, extracted from both reports, are compiled at the following:
- The world is experiencing its sixth mass extinction event, and more than 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction.
- There are over 8.0 million animal and plant species on Earth (including 2.1 million animal species and 5.5 million insect species).
- On average, 25% of species in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine vertebrates, invertebrates, and plant groups studied sufficiently are threatened with extinction.
- The current global species extinction rate is hundreds of times higher than the average over the last 10 million years, and the rate is still accelerating.
- It is estimated that there are 5.9 million terrestrial species worldwide, and more than 500,000 live in insufficient habitats for long-term survival.
- More than 40% of amphibian species, almost 33% of reef-forming corals, and more than 33% of all marine mammals are now threatened with extinction.
- At least 680 vertebrate species have been driven to extinction by human actions since the 16th century.
- More than 9% (around 560) of all domesticated breeds of mammals used for food and agriculture had become extinct by 2016, with at least 1,000 more breeds threatened.
- Around 10% of insect species are now threatened with extinction.
- Since 1900, the average abundance of native species in most major terrestrial biomes has declined by at least 20%.
- More than 3.5% of domesticated breeds of birds were extinct by 2016.
- Climate change has negatively impacted the distributions of almost half (47%) of terrestrial flightless mammals and nearly a quarter (23%) of threatened birds.
- At least 6 ungulate (hoofed mammals) species would likely be extinct or surviving only in captivity today.
- Around 40 percent of all known animal species, including beetles, flies, moths, butterflies, and bees, are facing extinction.
- On average, global wildlife populations declined by 60% between 1970 and 2014.
- Wildlife populations are declining at a rate of 1% per year.
- The population size of freshwater species – living in lakes, rivers, and wetlands – has declined by 83% since 1970.
- The most dramatic decline in species population was observed in the Neotropical region, covering South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, with an 89% loss compared to 1970.
- Since 1970, the species population in the Indo-Pacific and the Afrotropics has declined by 64% and 56%, respectively.
- Since 1992, the biomass of flying insects in protected zones has reduced by more than 75%; the numbers of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish reduced by 29%; and the amount of fresh water available per capita reduced by 26%.
- In recent decades, the extinction risk of birds, mammals, and amphibians would have been at least 20% greater without conservation action.
- The number of invasive alien species per country has risen by about 70% since 1970 across the 21 countries with detailed records.
- Aichi biodiversity targets for 2020 are most likely to be missed.
Biodiversity loss will significantly affect human life and well-being since food and energy are critical to our health and survival. Both the IPBES report and the Living Planet Report 2018 warn that the window for safeguarding biodiversity and a healthy planet is closing rapidly. At present, our planet is at a crossroads. The following 10 years will be a crucial chance for action. The future will be bad for us if we don’t act now. In addition to various measures, controlling the population growth rate is critical.
Our Endangered World says
This is unfortunate; our biodiversity has been struggling to survive. As time passes, there is more and more loss. Everyone should start living more sustainably, and efforts to protect our world should be stepped up.