Global wildlife population fell 73%: Living Planet Report

General Studies Paper-3

Context: The World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Living Planet Report 2024 reveals a catastrophic 73% decline in monitored wildlife populations over the past 50 years (1970-2020)

The Living Planet Report

• WWF’s flagship publication, released every two years
• It is a comprehensive study of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet.

Key Findings

• The Living Planet Index (LPI) tracks trends in nearly 35,000 populations of 5,495 species.
• Freshwater populations experienced the steepest decline at 85%, followed by terrestrial (69%) and marine (56%).
• Regions wise: It highlights significant declines in monitored wildlife populations across different regions:
• Latin America and the Caribbean: 95% decline
• Africa: 76% decline
• Asia-Pacific: 60% decline
• North America: 39% decline
• Europe and Central Asia: 35% decline
• Some populations have stabilized or increased due to conservation efforts, such as:
• Mountain gorillas increased by about 3% per year in East Africa (2010-2016).
• Bison populations rose from 0 to 6,800 in central Europe (1970-2020).
• Primary Threats: The main threats to wildlife include:
• Habitat loss and degradation
• Overharvesting (mainly from the global food system)
• Invasive species
• Disease
• Climate change

Impact

• Significant drops in wildlife threaten ecosystem health and can lead to irreversible changes, pushing nature towards dangerous tipping points (e.g., decimated forests, destroyed rainforests, and coral reefs).
• Declines in wildlife populations signal increased extinction risks and ecosystem health issues.

Recommendations:

• WWF leaders emphasize the need for immediate action to prevent further declines, highlighting that compromised nature is more vulnerable to climate change.
• Develop and implement ambitious national nature and climate plans.
• Reduce overconsumption of food and energy equitably.
• Increase public and private investments aligned with sustainability goals.
• Eliminate activities negatively impacting biodiversity and redirect funding toward positive initiatives.