The recently released World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report 2020 reveals that since 1970, the Earth’s wildlife populations have plummeted by 68 per cent in size, in just five decades. Causes include environmental destruction such as deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, and the illegal wildlife trade which contribute to virus outbreaks like COVID-19. The report calls for urgent action to reverse the trend by 2030 by ending the destruction of natural habitats and reforming the food system.
The Living Planet Report is a comprehensive survey of the health of the planet. The 68 per cent decline in the past 50 years is clear evidence of the damage human activity is doing to the natural world. As per the report, globally, population sizes of the freshwater creatures have gone down by around 84 per cent and are the most impacted since 1970. Most of the oceans are polluted and more than 85 per cent of the wetlands have been lost.
But what’s causing these trends? The most common threat to the species population is the loss and degradation of habitats. And other threats include species overexploitation, pollution, invasive species, and disease, and climate change, driven by how humanity produces food. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the world spends about one million dollars per minute on agricultural subsidies that are often driving biodiversity loss and climate change.
COVID-19 is a clear manifestation of the broken relationship with nature. It has highlighted the deep interconnection between nature, human health, and well-being and how unprecedented biodiversity loss threatens the health of both people and the planet.
The report shows that there is an opportunity to heal the relationship with nature and mitigate risks of future pandemics. Ambitious actions to achieve more sustainable food systems are now needed to prevent future biodiversity loss and to promote its recovery. There is a possibility to choose the path ahead and improve the health of wildlife and people.
Sonam Pem
