A Dying World

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has published the first intergovernmental report of its kind. 145 international experts from 50 countries and 310 contributing authors have worked on the report.

The overall message is: One million plant and animal species are facing extinction, many within decades! The five major reasons for this dramatic development are: alterations in land and sea use, exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species.

“Key indirect drivers include increased population and per capita consumption; technological innovation, which in some cases has lowered and in other cases increased the damage to nature; and, critically, issues of governance and accountability. A pattern that emerges is one of global interconnectivity and ‘telecoupling’ – with resource extraction and production often occurring in one part of the world to satisfy the needs of distant consumers in other regions,” said Prof. Brondízio.

The full report will be published later this year.

For more information go to: IPBES