Global: Failing biodiversity targets
30.04.10
A new report in the journal Science shows commitments made in 2002 by world leaders to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss have failed and instead we are continuing to see declines.
The findings represent the first assessment of how targets made through the 2002 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have not been met.
Compiling over 30 indicators – measures of different aspects of biodiversity, including
changes in species’ populations and risk of extinction, habitat extent and community
composition – the study found no evidence for a significant reduction in the rate of
decline of biodiversity, and that the pressures facing biodiversity continue to increase.
The synthesis provides overwhelming evidence that the 2010 target has not been
achieved.
"Our analysis shows that governments have failed to deliver on the commitments they
made in 2002: biodiversity is still being lost as fast as ever, and we have made little
headway in reducing the pressures on species, habitats and ecosystems”, said Dr Stuart Butchart, of the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation
Monitoring Centre and BirdLife International, and the paper’s lead author.
"Our data show that 2010 will not be the year that biodiversity loss was halted, but it
needs to be the year in which we start taking the issue seriously and substantially increase our efforts to take care of what is left of our planet.”
Full press release (pdf)
Related links:
28.01.10
As part of the celebrations for International Year of Biodiversity IUCN bring us a wonderful new resource - Species of the Day. On each day of 2010 a threatened species is profiled from the Red List describing its habitat, population, current plight, and future hopes.
Global: IUCN warns of 'extinction crisis'
13.01.10
Yesterday saw the launch of the International Year of Biodiversity in Berlin, which has the aim of celebrating all life on earth and the value of nature's riches for our lives.
Global: A new approach to the IUCN Red List?
10.12.09
The Red List provides us with a yearly shock. A reminder of just how many plants and animals around the world are imperilled. But how many of us truly understand what it takes to get on the list and the amount of work involved in compiling it?
IUCN Red List update shows up global failure to slow biodiversity loss
05.11.09
WWF respond to the Red List. The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species should cause alarm over the continuing unprecedented loss of species and the failure so far of mechanisms to arrest biodiversity loss, WWF said today. The 2009 Red List, issued by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, shows that more than one-third (36 per cent) of the 47,677 species assessed are threatened with extinction.
Over 12,000 plants on the Red List
03.10.09
It’s that dreaded time of year again - the time when it is spelled out so clearly how badly we are failing the planet. The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species shows that 17,291 species out of the 47,677 assessed species are threatened with extinction. Of these a staggering 12,151 are plants - up 96 on last year - but it’s almost guaranteed they will get less publicity than their furry friends.