Nature in crisis: The current state of global nature loss

NATURE LOSS ACROSS THE WORLD

1. North America
2. Latin America and the Caribbean
3. Europe and Central Asia
4. Africa
5. Asia and the Pacific

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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SPECIES ARE LOST?

When a species’ population falls below a certain level, it can cause the ecosystem as a whole becomes less resilient, which also undermines the benefits that ecosystems provide to people – like food, clean water or regulating our climate. Take the Stoplight Parrotfish for example. They graze on the algae and microbes on the surface of coral, which keeps the reef healthy as it gives coral space, light and nutrients to grow, However, when the parrotfish is overfished and its population declines, the reef becomes overrun by algae growth, causing the corals to die. This not only causes a decline in the fish and invertebrate populations that depend on the corals, but threatens the coastal communities that rely on the reefs for their food, livelihoods, and storm protection.

Species snapshots

Hawksbill turtle: 57% decline
Despite benefitting from the highest level of marine reserve protection within the Great Barrier Reef, there was an alarming decline in the important nesting population of critically-endangered hawksbill turtles on Milman Island between 1990 – 2018. Scientists suggest this north eastern Australian population species could be locally extinct as early as by 2036. The Hawksbill turtles are vulnerable to habitat loss, climate change, legal and illegal harvesting, as well as entanglement in fishing nets.
African forest elephant: 78-81%% decline
Between 2004 and 2014 there is strong evidence that poaching for the ivory trade, both from within Gabon and from Cameroon, caused a 78-81% decline in critically-endangered forest elephants in Minkébé National Park. Since almost half of all forest elephants in Central Africa are thought to live in Gabon, scientists consider a loss on this scale to be a considerable setback for the future of the species.

Aerial view of deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, in Maués, on december 11, 2020

WHAT’S DRIVING NATURE LOSS?

Habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, invasive species, disease and climate change are the biggest threats to wildlife worldwide. The main drivers behind these threats are our food and energy systems, which require urgent transformation.

How can we reverse nature loss?