Living Planet Report 2020
The findings are clear: Our relationship with nature is broken.
Biodiversity – the rich diversity of life on Earth – is being lost at an alarming rate. This loss effects our own health and well-being. Today, catastrophic impacts for people and the planet loom closer than ever.
The Living Planet Index
The population sizes of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have seen an alarming average drop of 68% since 1970.
"This report reminds us that we destroy the planet at our peril—because it is our home. As humanity’s footprint expands into once-wild places, we’re devastating species populations. But we’re also exacerbating climate change and increasing the risk of zoonotic diseases like COVID-19. We cannot shield humanity from the impacts of environmental destruction. It’s time to restore our broken relationship with nature for the benefit of species and people alike"
WWF-US President and CEO Carter Roberts
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The Living Planet Index by region
Why are we losing nature?
Human activity is harming the natural world and we are paying the price. To protect human health, we must protect nature.
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Freshwater
Freshwater species populations are declining disproportionately faster - by an average of 84%
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Insects, soil & plants
Rhinos, polar bears and tigers may be the focus of most headlines about species loss, but did you know that many insects, plants and microscopic life forms are also facing extinction?
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Food security
Beyond the species of plants, animals, and fungi that we eat there are other species like pollinators and microorganisms that are essentail to food production.
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Healthy people
Almost all aspects of human health depend on a thriving natural world. But if biodiversity loss continues at the current rate, the health and well-being of many will only get worse.
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The economy
Almost all of our economic activity relies on nature. If we don’t tackle the nature loss crisis, we risk huge disruption to the world’s economies and harm to the lives and livelihoods of many millions.
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Reversing nature loss
Pioneering new modelling shows that without further efforts to counteract habitat loss and degradation, global biodiversity will continue to decline.
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Nature-based solutions
Nature itself can provide many of the solutions we need - from mangroves that help prevent flooding of coastal communities to wetlands that improve water quality.
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What can you do?
If we continue to destroy the natural world, we will see more outbreaks like COVID-19, and the next pandemic could be even more deadly and costly.
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