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The Silver Lining to a Very Dark Cloud

Endangered Wildlife OÜ

A far way still to go

The UN’s latest Global Biodiversity Outlook, released this week, painted a grim picture. In delivering its verdict on the progress made by countries in meeting the 2010 Aichi targets, set at the COP-10 summit of that year, it said that only 6 of 20 targets were partially achieved.

Digging a little deeper, more than a third of national targets are reported as currently ‘on track’, with half seeing slower progress. 11% saw no significant improvement and 1% were going backwards. Habitat loss and degradation remains high, especially in forests and tropical regions. While wetlands are declining across the globe and risk fragmenting, posing a critical threat to freshwater diversity.


Pollution remains a massive problem, with plastics clogging rivers, seas and oceans and pesticides taking a heavy toll on local ecosystems. Coral reefs are still dying at the same rate, while demand for natural resources is still increasing.


But not a lost cause yet

Trying to offer a slither of hope, the report highlighted that, though biodiversity loss continues largely unabated, the effects of action, when taken, are clearly apparent. This means humanity can still ‘bend the curve’ towards greater biodiversity if remedial action, of the sort listed below, is taken now:


Climate change poses the other main challenge. Both regions historically have tended to experience limited seasonal variations in temperatures, thus the biodiversity is less resilient to extreme fluctuations.


Looking to the governments

So much rests in the hands of governments. More resources need to be brought to bear to protect biodiversity. Though governments spend a combined USD 78-91bn a year, this pales up against the USD 500bn spent on extracting fossil fuels.


We can expect to hear a lot more from governments in the lead up to the next two big conferences. The UN General Assembly will host a virtual summit on biodiversity on 30th September, which will underline the work currently underway to form new targets for 2021-2030 ahead of the decisive 15th COP on Biodiversity in Kunming, China in May 2021.

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