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Wildlife is disappearing from the planet at a catastrophic rate, a new survey has revealed.
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Extinctions may mean lost disease treatments
Climate change escape route for animals
Numbers
of birds, animals, marine and freshwater creatures have dropped by
almost one-third, according to WWF. And most of the blame for the
decline lies with man through habitat destruction, exploitation and
pollution.
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The Index showed marine species had fallen by 28 per cent
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The conservation charity's Living Planet Index says an undertaking by
EU countries in 2002 to halt biodiversity loss by 2010 will not now be
met.
And the situation is likely to get worse as climate change becomes an
increasingly important factor affecting species.
The Index tracks almost 1500 different species of fish, amphibian,
reptiles, bird and mammal to obtain a global snapshot of nature's
health.
It found that between 1970-2005 land based species fell
by 25 per cent, marine species by 28 per cent and freshwater species by
29 per cent.
Nature's decline continues as an exploding human
population consumes 25 per cent more natural resources than the planet
can replace every year, according to WWF.
The
results of the study were issued to coincide with the start of the
Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn - a UN forum bringing
governments around the world together to try to halt biodiversity loss.
It
says much of the loss can be put down to five factors: habitat loss,
exploitation, pollution, the spread of invasive species and climate
change.
All of these were in turn attributable to
the unsustainable demands mankind was putting on the planet in the
production and consumption of natural resources for food and drink,
energy and materials. And the massive flows of goods and people around
the world had provided a conduit for the spread of alien species and
diseases.
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The index of land animals had shown a big fall - as
high as 46 per cent - among some tropical species while temperate
species had apparently fared much better. But big declines in
population among temperate species had occurred prior to 1970 while the
sharp fall among tropical species reflected more recent habitat losses
among the world's rainforests.
The marine fish
index had remained fairly level until about 1990 but subsequently
dropped producing an overall fall in abundance of 21 per cent during
the 35- year period.
The index for marine birds showed a positive trend from 1970 to the
mid-1990s, but a rapid decline of about 30 per cent since the mid-1990s.
Insufficient
data had meant that the freshwater index could only be calculated to
2003 for temperate regions and to 2000 for tropical regions.
In temperate regions the decline had been 26 per cent between 1970 and
2003, while the index for tropical regions fell by 35 per cent between
1970 and 2000.
Colin
Butfield, Head of Campaigns at WWF-UK, said: "Biodiversity underpins
the health of the planet and has a direct impact on all our lives so it
is alarming that despite of an increased awareness of environmental
issues we continue to see a downtrend trend. However, there are small
signs for hope and if government grasps what is left of this rapidly
closing window of opportunity, we can begin to reverse this trend and
move away from three planet living to a one planet future."
The
report said food, clean water, medicines and protection from natural
hazards were important in maintaining security and quality of life for
people and if they were to be maintained then the species, natural
habitats and ecosystems that support them needed to be protected.
"Reduced
biodiversity means millions of people face a future where food supplies
are more vulnerable to pests and disease and where water is in
irregular or short supply," said WWF Director General James Leape.
The
report called on governments attending the Bonn conference to fulfil
their pledge to reduce biodiversity loss, halt deforestation and cut
greenhouse gas emissions.
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