THE LIVING PLANET REPORT 2022

The climate change & Biodiversity loss are related to each other very strongly.  The only composite solution will only be sustainable one. As per the minutes of meetings in Paris Conference, biodiversity conservation should be prioritize. The biodiversity loss observed over the years is rapid, irreversible, and is caused by climate change.

The Living Planet Report 2022, a publication of the World Wide Fund for Nature, based on the Living Planet Index (LPI), tracks the changes in the wild species population across the globe. It exhibits 32,000 populations of the 5,230 species across the world & observed that  the population of wild vertebrates is shrinking in tropical regions.

The period, from 1970 to 2018, the monitored wildlife mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish populations declined by 69%; freshwater populations have declined by 83%; cycads (an ancient group of seed plants) are the most threatened species; and corals are declining the fastest, followed by amphibians. 

The global population of  sharks & oceanic rays has declined by 71% over the last 50 years due to an 18-fold increased pressure on fishing from 1970. Region-wise, the maximum decline in monitored wildlife populations is observed in Latin America and the Caribbean region (94%), followed by Africa (66%) and Asia-Pacific (55%).

In Southeast Asia, the species are most likely to face the threat of a decline in wildlife populations. Polar regions, such as the east coast of Australia and South Africa, showed the highest impact probabilities for climate change driven in particular by the effect on birds.

Data from the IUCN red list overlays six key threats—invasive species, logging, agri­culture, hunting, trapping, pollution, and climate change—to highlight “threat hotspots” for terrestrial vertebrates; they all are either the cause or consequence of the change in land and sea use—the single most important driver of biodiversity loss.

Total freshwater resources forms  only 1% of the planet but 50% of the human population lives within 3 km radius of a freshwater body. About 37% of the rivers with more than 1,000 km length remain free-flowing throughout their entire length; the remaining are harnessed. This results in habitat fragmentation for the migratory aquatic creatures, which affects their adaptability in the changing climate.

The nitrogenous fertilizers runs off the fields mixes into the ocean waters results in huge increases in algae. These algae are consumed by the larvae of crown-of-thorns starfish, results in their  population explosion. An adult crown-of-thorns starfish can consume as much as 9.5 meters of living coral a year. This is called the knock-on effect of farming. Coral reefs absorbs  as much as 95% wave energy & protects the coastal communities from tsunamis and storms. 

In case the rise in temperature till 2100 is by 1.5°C , there will be loss between 70% & 90%. If global temperature rises by  2°C, only 1% of our coral reefs will survive, resultantly  the frequency of storms and tsunamis will increase. Mangrove ecosystem helps in sequestering and storing blue carbon in their wetland soil at densities higher than most of the ecosystems.

The Mangrove ecosystem losing by  0.13% per year to aquaculture & coastal development affects the millions of Indigenous People. They protect the coastal communities from rising sea levels, tsunamis, and tidal waves.

SOME RECOMMENDATIONS

The colonial concept of separating people from their ecosystem to preserve it has been the fundamental mistake of conservation policy. Rather, indigenous approaches of tribe–forest relationship at the centre of cultural & conservation practices have shown better results.

A two pronged policy, can be a good solution, 1) indigenous joint conservation & 2) mainstream with implementation of  the knowledge & understanding from both. Urgent & ambitious “transformative changes” with cross-sectoral integrated approaches are necessary to eradicate the causes of degradation such as demographic , sociocultural, financial, technological, or related to poor institutions & governance.

Along with the technological capability, socio-political will matters alot for such conservationist approach. The conservation goals should be realistic and aligned with socio-economic gains. Biodiversity conservation by systematic spatial planning should be in consonance with environmental justice to the indigenous society.  

Conservation policy should have rights based approach, which secures welfare for everyone . The ecological niche of the indigenous communities shall be at the centre of the policy of conservation. It needs a paradigm shift in the planning & implementation  in order to produce, consume, govern, and  finance.

Currently, the Russia–Ukraine war, economic slowdown, and lingering effects of COVID-19 are all further pushing millions into deprivation.