This week, I am looking at the recently released WWF Living Planet Report 2020 (LPR). This evaluates the current decline in biodiversity and sets targets on what we can do to reverse that trend, whilst also achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report's solutions can help all of humanity to improve our relationship to nature and view our role as stewards of the planet.
Setting the scene
In the last 50 years, humans have transformed the world via global trade, population growth and urbanisation. This has led to the overexploitation of plants and animals, in turn degrading the planet’s ecosystems. This unsustainable consumption is exhausting the world of its natural resources and destroying wildlife. Reductions in biodiversity mean less healthy ecosystems and less resilience to problems such as climate change that are becoming increasingly threatening to us. In addition, our current economic system has led to uneven development throughout the globe. This is unjust and further demonstrates why a massive change is vital, as advocated for in the LPR.
Proposed solution: 'Bending the Curve'
The LPR investigated different possible pathways that humanity might take, and modelled how each would affect biodiversity. The Bending the Curve Initiative shows how we can slow down and even reverse biodiversity decline by changing the way we use our land. By devising bolder conservation measures and increasing the sustainability of food production and consumption, we will be able to stop a lot of the biodiversity loss that would happen if we continue as we are now. This “integrated action portfolio” is displayed in yellow on the graph below. This provides us with a new light of hope, showing that if we all work together to transform the way we use land, we can save wildlife and the planet’s health.
Possible future trajectories for biodiversity trends, dependent on efforts taken to transform the way we use our land (Source: ZSL)
A “New Deal for Nature and People”
A proposed new deal seeks to unite world leaders and citizens in the collective goal of reversing nature loss by 2030. The goals within this new deal include (but are not limited to):
- Protecting at least 30% land and oceans
- Recognizing indigenous peoples’ rights to their lands
- Sustainably managing remaining natural habitats
- Making agriculture sustainable
- Shifting to clean energy
These actions, if undertaken successfully, will help transform our global society and economy into one that values nature, viewing planetary health as the true measure of prosperity. Furthermore, these actions to save biodiversity will also help reduce and mitigate other environmental dangers we are facing such as climate change and water scarcity.
Sustainable farming by Indigenous Peoples in Malaysia (Source: IFAD)
Criticisms of the LPR
Despite portraying a hopeful view of the future, there are still weaknesses in the report.
Firstly, even the most radical, fully integrated approach will probably not be able to stop half of the biodiversity losses predicted to happen with no action taken. Along with this, a reverse in biodiversity decline might only begin to happen from 2050 – much later than the goals set for 2030.
Secondly, the bold conservation efforts are likely to increase food prices, risking the rise of world hunger. This is why it is extremely important to transform our food systems as well as conserve land and sea.
And lastly, another problem is the risk of human inaction. This report could just be read and discussed with no real-world changes occurring. Politics and power dynamics need to be considered. For example, why should one country sacrifice its chance to develop just to conserve an ecosystem to protect another, richer country who is reaping the rewards of destroying their own land?
Looking to the future
Economically, the proposed biodiversity goals for 2030 seem to be feasible – they will cost an additional US$711 billion annually, which is only 1% of global GDP and miniscule in comparison to the US$5.2 trillion we spend on fossil fuels. We can do this by diverting investments from degrading activities (such as those in industrial agriculture) and towards more sustainable practices (agroecology). Attention should be directed to looking after natural infrastructure (such as coral reefs and forests) that can provide services to us that are often more cost-effective than engineered solutions. Governments can help by creating incentives for green, low-carbon products and by facilitating offset mechanisms for those industries that cannot become sustainable fast enough (like air travel). We must place nature at the centre of our society in order to save biodiversity and secure the future for us, our children and beyond!
Work must begin now to be able to reverse the decline of biodiversity on Earth (Source: MEDASSET)
Comments