Since 1970, there has been only one way for the wildlife population on the planet – and that is downward. This is confirmed by a new report from the WWF World Wide Fund for Nature.
The “Living Planet Report 2020” report will be published Thursday night.
Here it appears that the population of wild mammals and reptiles as well as amphibians, fish and birds has decreased on average by 68 percent from 1970 to 2016.
The report points out that over the past 50 years, the world has changed significantly with increasing global trade, consumption and population growth as well as increased urbanization.
– As a result, our natural world is changing faster than ever before, writes WWF.
The latest report from 2018 stated that the world’s wildlife population had fallen by 60 percent since 1970.
And if the development did not change, then there was a risk that the stock would have fallen by 67 percent by 2020, the warning read.
That’s how it went, the new report shows – and even worse, the WWF concludes.
The report measures the population of almost 21,000 different populations of wild animals.
The worst situation is with 944 animal species, which are dependent on fresh water. They have experienced a decline of 84 percent from 1970 to 2016.
Geographically, it is in Central and South America that the losses of animals are greatest. Here, according to the report, stocks have been reduced by 94 percent since 1970.
Carsten Rahbek, professor of biodiversity at the University of Copenhagen, tells Berlingske that they can have major consequences if humanity does not change course.
– Our over-consumption and over-exploitation of nature is a bit like cutting our own branch off right inside the trunk. We waste our resources and we throw them away. If we continue, we risk running into major global economic problems with growing instability and the struggle for water and other resources, he tells Berlingske.
Here it appears that the population of wild mammals and reptiles as well as amphibians, fish and birds has decreased on average by 68 percent from 1970 to 2016.
The report points out that over the past 50 years, the world has changed significantly with increasing global trade, consumption and population growth as well as increased urbanization.
– As a result, our natural world is changing faster than ever before, writes WWF.
The latest report from 2018 stated that the world’s wildlife population had fallen by 60 percent since 1970.
And if the development did not change, then there was a risk that the stock would have fallen by 67 percent by 2020, the warning read.
That’s how it went, the new report shows – and even worse, the WWF concludes.
The report measures the population of almost 21,000 different populations of wild animals.
The worst situation is with 944 animal species, which are dependent on fresh water. They have experienced a decline of 84 percent from 1970 to 2016.
Geographically, it is in Central and South America that the losses of animals are greatest. Here, according to the report, stocks have been reduced by 94 percent since 1970.
Carsten Rahbek, professor of biodiversity at the University of Copenhagen, tells Berlingske that they can have major consequences if humanity does not change course.
– Our over-consumption and over-exploitation of nature is a bit like cutting our own branch off right inside the trunk. We waste our resources and we throw them away. If we continue, we risk running into major global economic problems with growing instability and the struggle for water and other resources, he tells Berlingske.
Source: The Nordic Page