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BIODIVERSITY


Most of us have grown up with our own special animal companion who we have cherished over the years.  A majority of these toys appear to depict wild creatures such as bears, monkeys, penguins and elephants  Which is why they could be seen to symbolise our need for a connection with the natural world. Alongside this wildlife TV programmes are popular ways to wonder at nature, however, they are increasing presenting us with uncomfortable facts about our affect on wildlife across the globe.


The trends are explored in ‘the Living Planet Index’ compiled by the World Wildlife Fund. This indicates that ‘exploding human consumption is the driving force behind the unprecedented planetary change’, The report goes on to point out that  ‘there is an overall decline of 60% in animal species between1970 and 2014 with South and Central America suffering an 89% loss’. ‘Marine and freshwater ecosystems are also facing huge pressure. Almost 6 billion tonnes of fish and invertebrates have been taken from the world’s oceans since 1950 and freshwater species have seen an 83% decline since the 1970’s’.


Marco Lambertini, Director General WWF International says ‘ For too long we have taken nature for granted, and this needs to stop. ..... We can no longer ignore the impact of current unsustainable production models and wasteful lifestyles. In the next years, we need to urgently transition to a net carbon neutral society and halt and reverse nature loss. In addition, we must preserve and restore enough land and ocean in a natural state to sustain all life’.