The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) released the Living Planet Report 2022 on October 13, 2022.



The report states that the relative abundance of wildlife has declined by approximately 69% in the 50 years since 1970. The report states that the loss of diversity in tropical areas of Latin America and the Caribbean, which have traditionally provided habitats for a wide variety of plants and animals, is particularly significant, amounting to 94% of the total loss.



Biodiversity loss has become an important global issue comparable to global warming, and is having a significant impact on our daily lives and economies.



Unlike climate change, the report emphasized that net-zero thinking alone is not enough to address biodiversity loss. We must aim to restore what has been lost. This wonderful planet has shown us time and again that this is possible. Humanity must pursue net-positive goals.



Therefore, it is necessary to set a nature-positive global goal and work with all stakeholders - political, social, business, economic, and consumer - to achieve it.



In December 2022, the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity (COP15) is scheduled to be held in Montreal, Canada. It is hoped that agreements will be reached to set more ambitious and measurable targets capable of reversing biodiversity loss to secure a nature-positive world by 2030.



A recent study that statistically synthesize empirical comparisons of the causes of biodiversity loss also found that the conversion of forests and grasslands to agricultural lands and pastureland expansion is the most dominant direct driver of global anthropogenic biodiversity loss. The study called for an urgent policy response to promote nature-positive transformation, not just transitioning to net-zero. Innovations that enable sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries are needed.


 

References
https://www.wwf.org.uk/our-reports/living-planet-report-2022
https://www.wwf.or.jp/activities/lib/5153.html
https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/the-last-safe-habitat

Contributor: Solongo TUMUR (Information Program)