WWF’s Living Planet Report: We are the first generation that has a clear picture of the value of nature and the grave situation we are facing.
News 31.10.18
WWF has released its highly anticipated Living Planet Report (LPR) which presents an overview of trends in global biodiversity and natural systems. The report draws a depressing picture of wildlife around the world, under increasing pressure from human activities. For example, vertebrate populations have dropped by 60% in the last 40 years while freshwater species have witnessed an 83% decline since 1970. “We are the first generation that has a clear picture of the value of nature and the grave situation we are facing. We may also be the last generation that can do something about it”, warns the report.
Nature is essential to our survival, however: it provides the foundation for our health, food security and economic activities. According to the report, the services nature provides are estimated to be worth roughly US$125 trillion. Nature also offers a solution to another major challenge we face today: climate change.
“The Living Planet report highlights how mankind has damaged nature to a dangerous degree, including climate change. It also shows the huge potential of nature to help people adapt to climate change, and to limit it, in particular through protection of forests, peatlands, seagrasses and marine flowering plants for example, which can soak up significant amounts of carbon dioxide faster than any other method available. This is why governments and businesses have to adopt natural climate solutions in the battle at climate change, alongside efforts on energy, transport and industrial emissions.”
Lucy Almond, Director of Nature4Climate