Governments fail to prevent biodiversity decline

On Monday the UN released a report on the state of the world's biological diversity. The report stated, "The diversity of living things on the planet continues to be eroded as a result of human activity." Pollution, climate change, deforestation and overfishing are some of the problems that have led to loss of biodiversity.

It is apparent that the world's governments have not achieved the biodiversity targets set for 2010; this report clearly highlights this fact. In 2002, 190 countries committed themselves to help reduce the loss in biodiversity and preserve the ecosystems on which the planet depends by 2010. As a result of the failure to reach this target the UN has recently declared this year as the 'International Year of Biodiversity.'

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) claims that the benefits provided by the earth are integral; it offers protection from natural disasters and provides fresh water amongst other advantageous services. Recently UNEP has asserted that economies have failed to take this into account and that the current restructuring of the global economy it is the perfect opportunity to introduce regulation.

The creatures most at risk from the failure to prevent losses are amphibians; 42 per cent of the world's species are currently threatened with extinction. At present nearly 25 per cent of plant species are threatened and freshwater wetlands, sea ice habitats, salt marshes and coral reefs are in serious decline. It is only too clear that the planet's natural habitats are shrinking and that 2010 has got to be the year to turn it around.

Too many species have been lost and put in danger by human activity; governments need to make biodiversity a significant factor in decisions across all sectors. "Conserving biodiversity cannot be an afterthought once other objectives are addressed, it is the foundation on which many of these are built" warns the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

A small amount of progress has been made; in some regions a reduced loss of tropical forests and mangroves has been established and attempts to control invasive species has succeeded in rescuing 31 different species of birds. However compared to the general trend of biodiversity decline these small glimmers of hope do not show much for nations attempts at reaching the goals set in 2002.

Recently UNEP have provided some examples of improvements that could be made to reduce the loss of biodiversity such as reducing the spread of witchweed in sub-Saharan Africa, which contributes to the loss of $7 billion of maize each year. In October an international meeting in Nagoya, Japan will take place to consider the next decades goal. It is an important time for biodiversity, as steps need to be made in order to secure our future.

Author: Rachael Bristow | Climate Action

Image: brian.gratwicke | Flickr