Trend Climate, population and overconsumption accelerating biodiversity loss

Summary

Among its short-term trajectories, the report expects climate change, population growth and overuse of natural resources, including changes in land use, could speed up biodiversity loss. These pressures could also heighten other risks, among them threats to human and animal health. The report states that human activity has already significantly altered at least 75% of global land and 66% of the ocean since 1970. Since 1990, 420 million hectares of forest, more than the area of India, have been lost. The report holds that declining biodiversity raises disease risk and may limit future medical discoveries. It concludes that such loss weakens ecosystem functions and directly affects the economy and human wellbeing.