WWF warns of dramatic decline in global wild vertebrate population
The WWF report calls in particular for strengthening the conservation of wild animals by putting local communities at the heart of nature protection.
REUTERS / Bobby Yip
Text by: RFI Follow
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The 13th “Living Planet” report, produced by WWF every two years, has just released its results.
This report analyzes the health of the planet and the impact of human activities on it through the evolution of populations of wild vertebrate animals.
In less than 60 years, the decline is spectacular.
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This report from the World Wildlife Fund indicates a loss of 68% of the global population of wild vertebrates - fish, mammals, amphibians, birds and reptiles - between 1970 and 2016.
“
In fact, it is all living things that are affected, whether microorganisms, birds or large mammals.
What we can observe, for example, is the sturgeon in China in the Yangtze which has seen a decline of 97% since 1970 mainly due to the number of dams set up on the river for hydroelectricity
”, explains Véronique Andrieux , director of WWF France.
However, this spectacular decline is due to human activities.
“
We know that industrial agriculture is responsible for 80% of global deforestation, which is also responsible for nearly 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions or even for the use of 70% of fresh water,
continues Véronique Andrieux.
It is really the model of food production and consumption that is at stake, so the main levers necessarily go through an in-depth transformation of the agricultural model towards more sustainable food production.
"
Without forgetting to strengthen conservation by placing local communities at the heart of nature protection.
To calculate the abundance of wild vertebrate animals on the planet, 21,000 groups of over 4,000 species of fish, mammals, amphibians, birds and reptiles were sampled with the London Biological Society.
♦ "Our survival is at stake"
When we see the link between this nature for human health or for our food security, it is really our survival that is at stake. There is really an absolute urgency to react ...
Véronique Andrieux, Director of WWF France
Agnes Rougier
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Also to listen: The World Conservation Congress: the next big meeting of biodiversity
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