‘Catastrophic’ 73% decline in the average size of wildlife populations globally in just 50 years: WWF’s Living Planet Report

North American populations see a less dramatic but steep decline of 39 per cent

TORONTO, Oct. 9, 2024 /CNW/ – There has been a 73 per cent decline in the average size of monitored wildlife populations* globally in just 50 years (1970–2020), according to WWF’s Living Planet Report (LPR) 2024. Habitat degradation and loss is the most reported threat in each region.

Declines have been less dramatic in North America (39 per cent), but this reflects the fact that large-scale impacts on nature were already apparent before 1970 in these regions. The findings are based on the Living Planet Index (LPI), which is calculated by Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and based on almost 35,000 population trends and 5,495 amphibian, bird, fish, mammal and reptile species from 1970–2020.

Declines in wildlife populations can act as an early warning indicator of increasing extinction risk and the potential loss of healthy ecosystems. When ecosystems are damaged, they cease to provide humanity with the benefits we have come to depend on — clean air, water and healthy soils — and can become more vulnerable to tipping points resulting in substantial and potentially irreversible change.

“Nature is issuing a distress call. The linked crises of nature loss and climate change are pushing wildlife and ecosystems beyond their limits, with dangerous global tipping points threatening to damage Earth’s life-support systems and destabilize societies,” said Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of WWF International. “The catastrophic consequences of losing some of our most precious ecosystems, like the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs, would be felt by people and nature around the world.”

The report’s warning arrives in the wake of a record-breaking 2023 wildfire year for Canada and fire outbreaks in the Amazon reaching their highest level in 14 years in August. It also comes just before the international community comes together in the region for the UN’s COP16 biodiversity summit in Cali, Colombia from Oct 21–Nov 1.

“The LPR comes at a pivotal time, as world leaders gather at CBD COP16 to update their progress and plans for reaching the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework, signed in Montreal in 2022, to protect and restore a third of the planet,” said Megan Leslie, WWF-Canada’s President and CEO. “The findings of the LPR are a reminder that we must take urgent action to halt and even better, reverse, biodiversity loss before it’s too late.”

The latest UN climate conference, COP29, kicks off a couple weeks later in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the two international summits are an opportunity for countries to rise to the scale of the challenge. WWF is calling for countries to produce and implement more ambitious national nature and climate plans (NBSAPs and NDCs) that include measures to reduce global overconsumption, halt and reverse both domestic and imported biodiversity loss, and cut carbon emissions — all in an equitable manner that addresses the financing gap between developed and developing nations and upholds the rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

The Living Planet Report reminds us that national commitments and action on the ground are falling far short of what’s required to meet 2030 targets and halt and reverse wildlife loss while reducing the impact of climate change. 

Notes to Editors

*The Living Planet Index shows an average 73 per cent decline in monitored vertebrate wildlife populations (mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish). The percentage change in the index reflects the average proportional change in monitored animal population sizes at sites around the world relative to a baseline of 1970. It does not reflect the number of individual animals lost, nor the number of populations lost.At a regional level, Latin America and the Caribbean have seen a 95% decline, Africa a 76% decline, Asia and the Pacific a 60% decline, North America a 39% decline and Europe and Central Asia a 35% decline.Please note that successive iterations of the LPI are not directly comparable as they contain different sets of species. It is also important to note the significance of the 1970 baseline for the various regions monitored. In both Europe and North America large-scale impacts on nature were already apparent before the start of the index in 1970, explaining why there is less of a negative trend.The LPR does not provide specific Canadian trends, but the Living Planet Report Canada (LPRC) 2020 showed that species of global conservation concern — assessed as threatened on the IUCN Red List — declined in Canada by 42 per cent, on average, from 1970–2016. Despite these negative trends, the LPRC also found that populations of species targeted by broad-scale conservation actions have increased by 40 per cent on average in the same timeframe. The next LPRC is slated for 2025.The LPR 2024 is the 15th edition of WWF International’s biennial flagship publication. The full report and summary versions of the report are available HERE, along with B-roll footage and images. Nature-based solutions harness the power of nature to boost natural ecosystems, biodiversity and human well-being to address major societal issues, including climate change. For example, the restoration of forests, wetlands and mangroves can boost carbon storage, enhance water and air quality, improve food and water security, and help protect against erosion and flooding.Countries are due to submit revised national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) aligned to the Global Biodiversity Framework before biodiversity COP16 in Cali, Colombia (21 October–1 November 2024). WWF is urging countries to ensure these are ambitious and comprehensive and to boost biodiversity finance. You can read more about WWF’s expectations for COP16 here. Under the Paris Agreement countries must present new climate plans (Nationally Determined Contributions – NDCs) in 2025, providing a blueprint for how they will contribute to limiting warming to 1.5oC. These plans should include roadmaps for equitably phasing out fossil fuels and transforming food systems. At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan (11 November–22 November), WWF hopes to see the agreement of a new, ambitious climate finance goal to meet the mitigation and adaptation needs of developing countries. You can read more about WWF’s expectations for COP29 here.

About WWF-Canada

WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit wwf.ca.

About WWF

WWF is an independent conservation organization, with over 30 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Visit www.panda.org/news for the latest news and media resources and follow us on Twitter @WWF_media.

About ZSL

Founded in 1826, ZSL is an international conservation charity, driven by science, working to restore wildlife in the UK and around the world; by protecting critical species, restoring ecosystems, helping people and wildlife live together and inspiring support for nature. Through our leading conservation zoos, London and Whipsnade, we bring people closer to nature and use our expertise to protect wildlife today, while inspiring a lifelong love of animals in the conservationists of tomorrow.

SOURCE World Wildlife Fund Canada