Wildlife Faces Crisis: 73% Decline Over 50 Years, Warns WWF

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has released its 2024 Living Planet Report, revealing a stark and alarming decline in global wildlife populations. According to the report, the average size of monitored wildlife populations has plummeted by 73% since 1970, underscoring the urgent need for concerted efforts to address biodiversity loss. This assessment, based on nearly 35,000 wildlife populations and 5,495 species across various ecosystems.

What does it track?

The WWF uses the Living Planet Index (LPI), which tracks the average trends in wildlife populations rather than focusing on increases or declines in individual species numbers.

By monitoring changes in species population sizes over time, the LPI serves as an early warning indicator of extinction risk and helps assess ecosystem efficiency.

Key Findings

Overall Decline

• The average size of monitored wildlife populations has decreased by 73% since 1970. 
• Between 1970 and 2020, freshwater species were the most affected, with an 85 per cent decline, followed by a 69 per cent decline in terrestrial species and a 56 per cent decline in marine populations, the report noted.

Species Affected

• Freshwater species: 85% decline
• Terrestrial species: 69% decline
• Marine species: 56% decline

Regional Impacts

• Latin America and the Caribbean: 95% decline in wildlife populations
• Africa: 76% decline
• Asia-Pacific: 60% decline
• North America: 39% decline
• Central Asia: 35% decline

Key Drivers of Decline

• Habitat degradation and loss
• Overexploitation of resources
• Invasive species and pests
• Climate change impacts

Human Impact : The report emphasizes that the decline has largely resulted from human activities, calling for urgent action to protect biodiversity.

Critical Biodiversity Tipping Points and Their Implications

Mass Coral Reef Bleaching

• Ongoing bleaching affects over 75% of the world’s coral reefs.
• Coral reefs are essential for marine biodiversity, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration.
• If bleaching continues, it may lead to ecosystem collapse and the loss of marine life.

Amazon Rainforest and Carbon Storage

• The Amazon rainforest, home to over 2,000 tree species and 800 animal species, is experiencing severe degradation.
• Loss of large fruit-eating animals due to hunting has reduced seed dispersal of large-seeded trees.
• This decline in hardwood trees can lead to carbon storage losses of 2-12% across forests in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

Ice Sheet Melting and Global Impact

• Melting of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets is nearing critical tipping points.
• These ice sheets are vital for regulating global sea levels and climate.
• Their collapse could trigger large-scale methane and carbon emissions, exacerbating climate change.

Ecosystem Degradation and Biodiversity Loss

• African Elephants: Poaching for ivory has caused a 78-81% decline in forest elephant populations in Minkébé National Park (2004-2014).
• Chinook Salmon: The population in California has dropped by 88% due to damming affecting migration routes.
• Increasing frequency and intensity of megafires are transforming ecosystems, reaching even the Arctic Circle.

Sustainable Development Goals at Risk

• More than half of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 are unlikely to be met.
• 30% of these goals are already off track compared to their 2015 baseline.

Climate Change and Temperature Increase

• Current national climate commitments may lead to an average global temperature rise of almost 3°C by century’s end.
• This rise is expected to trigger multiple catastrophic tipping points affecting ecosystems and human livelihoods.

Food Security and Resource Management

• Despite biodiversity loss and climate challenges, 735 million people go to bed hungry every night.
• Over 90% of crop varieties have disappeared, with just 10 crops accounting for nearly 83% of food calories globally.
• Approximately 90 million tonnes of seafood are harvested annually from fisheries, essential for over 3 billion people.

Overfishing Concerns

• 37.7% of marine fish stocks are overfished, leading to declines in fish populations and coral reef resilience.

Economic Costs of Environmental Degradation

• The hidden costs of environmental degradation and ill health amount to $10-15 trillion annually, representing 12% of global GDP in 2020.

Urgent Action Required

• WWF emphasizes the need to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency by 2030 to combat climate change.
• Calls for electrification of 20-40% of light-duty vehicles and modernization of global energy grids.

Role of Indigenous Peoples

• Supporting Indigenous communities is vital for large-scale biodiversity conservation, as they manage about 25% of the world’s land area.

Call to Action

• As the world approaches key environmental summits, WWF urges intensified efforts from governments, businesses, and individuals to protect biodiversity and avoid critical tipping points.
• The next five years are crucial for the future of life on Earth, making timely decisions imperative.

World Wildlife Fund for Nature

• It is the world’s leading conservation organization and works in more than 100 countries.
• It was established in 1961 and is headquartered at Gland, Switzerland.
• Its mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.
• WWF collaborates at every level with people around the world to develop and deliver innovative solutions that protect communities, wildlife, and the places in which they live.