The world’s biodiversity has crashed as resource use soars

May 2008. Biodiversity has declined by more than 25% over the last 35 years, a new report from WWF shows. The Living Planet Index (LPI), which tracks nearly 4,000 separate populations of wildlife, shows an overall fall in population trends of 27% between 1970 and 2005. Marine species such as swordfish and scalloped hammerhead were particularly hard hit, falling by 28% between 1995 and 2005. Seabird populations have suffered a rapid decline of about 30% since the mid-1990s.

With nations set to gather in Bonn next week for the latest meeting of the Convention of Biological Diversity - an international treaty that aims to sustain the diversity of life on Earth - WWF's report shows that governments are not on track to meet their target to achieve by 2010 a 'significant' reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss.

The Living Planet Index is produced for WWF by the Zoological Society of London. It tracks 302 species of mammal, and 811 bird, 241 fish, 83 amphibian and 40 reptile species, and shows that land-based species fell by 25% between 1970 and 2005, and freshwater species by 29% between 1970 and 2003.

Habitat destruction & wildlife trade

Habitat destruction and wildlife trade are the major causes of population decline in species. Over the next 30 years climate change will be an increasingly important factor affecting species.

We consume 25% more than the planet can replace

While nature continues to decline, WWF research from 2006 concluded that we are now globally consuming about 25% more natural resources than the planet can replace in each year. The UK alone is generating carbon emissions and consuming natural resources at such a rate that it would need three planets to support it. WWF believes this highlights the need for us all to move to a one planet future.

Colin Butfield, of WWF-UK, said: "Biodiversity underpins the health of the planet and has a direct impact on all our lives, so it is alarming that despite an increased awareness of environmental issues we continue to see a downward trend. However, there are small signs of hope, and if government grasps what is left of this rapidly closing window of opportunity, we can begin to reverse this trend and move away from three planet living to a one planet future."

The report also highlights the importance of species and natural habitats in maintaining our security and quality of life, through their provision of vital resources such as food, clean water and medicines, and protection from natural disasters.

"Reduced biodiversity means millions of people face a future where food supplies are more vulnerable to pests and disease and where water is in irregular or short supply," said James Leape, WWF's director general.

"No one can escape the impact of biodiversity loss because reduced global diversity translates quite clearly into fewer new medicines, greater vulnerability to natural disasters and greater effects from global warming."