Living Planet Report 2016

Every two years, WWF International releases The Living Planet Report, the world’s leading, science-based analysis on the health of our planet and the impact of human activity. WWF is one of the largest conservation organizations in the world, working in 80 countries. Here is a summary of the 2016 Living Planet Report:

Main Findings:

·      The size and scale of the human enterprise have grown exponentially since the mid-20th century.

·      As a result, nature and the services it provides to humanity are subject to increasing risk.

·      Scientists suggest that we have transitioned from the holocene into a new geological epoch, calling it the ‘anthropocene’.

·      The future of many living organisms is now in question.

·      Species populations of vertebrate animals have decreased in abundance by 58% between 1970 and 2012.

·      The most common threat to declining animal populations is the loss and degradation of habitat.

·      Increasingly, people are victims of the deteriorating state of nature: Without action the earth will become much less hospitable to our modern globalized society.

·      Humans have already pushed four planetary systems beyond the safe limit of their safe operating space.

·      By 2012, the biocapacity equivalent of 1.6 earths was needed to

·      provide the natural resources and services humanity consumed in that year.

·      To maintain nature in all of its many forms and functions and to create an equitable home for people on a finite planet, a basic understanding must inform development strategies, economic models, business models and lifestyle choices: We have only one planet and its natural capital is limited.

·      A shared understanding of the link between humanity and nature could induce a profound change that will allow all life to thrive in the anthropocene.

Living Planet Index

The Living Planet Index (LPI) measures biodiversity by gathering population data of various vertebrate species and calculating an average change in abundance over time. The LPI can be compared to the stock market index, except that, instead of monitoring the global economy, the LPI is an important indicator of the planet’s ecological condition. The global LPI is based on scientific data from 14,152 monitored populations of 3,706 vertebrate species (mammals, birds, fishes, amphibians, reptiles) from around the world.

From 1970 to 2012 the LPI shows a 58% overall decline in vertebrate population abundance (Figure 1). Population sizes of vertebrate species have, on average, dropped by more than half in little more than 40 years. The data shows an average annual decline of 2% and there is no sign yet that this rate will decrease.

The Path Ahead

The facts and figures in the 2016 Living Planet Report tend to paint a challenging picture, yet there is still plenty of room for optimism. If we manage to undergo the critical transitions necessary, the reward will be immense. Fortunately, we are not starting from scratch. There are several countries that have managed to raise the standards of living for their populations while using resources at much less intensity than industrial countries.

Furthermore, the world is reaching a solid consensus regarding the direction we must take. In 2015, the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted. And at the Paris climate conference (COP21) in December 2015, 195 countries adopted a global agreement to combat climate change, and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low-carbon future. Finally, we have never before had such an understanding of the scale of our impact on the planet, the way the key environmental systems interact or the way in which we can manage them.

Ultimately, addressing social inequality and environmental degradation will require a global paradigm shift toward living within Planetary Boundaries. We must create a new economic system that enhances and supports the natural capital upon which it relies. The speed at which we transition to a sustainable society is a key factor for determining our future. Allowing and fostering important innovations and enabling them to undergo rapid adoption in a wider

arena is critical. Sustainability and resilience will be achieved much faster if the majority of the Earth’s population understand the value and needs of our increasingly fragile Earth. A shared understanding of the link between humanity and nature could induce a profound change that will allow all life to thrive in the Anthropocene.