Plundering of biodiversity

Also among the good news of the new year is that Asia has taken seriously its international commitments to increase the planet's forest cover. The "heaviest" continent in the world in terms of population pressure on natural forests has thus demonstrated that national governments, local and multinational companies and civil society can work towards a common goal for sustainable and inclusive survival and prosperity. Unfortunately, almost all the other continents have done the opposite and the total balance for the whole world is very negative (see bar table).

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet Report 2020 also raised the same alarm for global bio-diversity, showing a frightening 68% average decline in the size of the animal population tracked over 46 years (1970-2016). In 2020 there were 2.12 million living species on the planet and about 70% are threatened by at least one cause of biodiversity reduction. This catastrophic decline is largely due to environmental destruction, such as deforestation, unsustainable agriculture, and the illegal wildlife trade.

Presenting the UN 2020 report on biodiversity, Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program, recalled that biodiversity is essential for human well-being and the main defense against pandemics. Humanity has not met its biodiversity protection targets agreed in 2010 and is not on track for the 2050 vision either. While only a minority of public opinion believes it is an infatuation with environmentalists, the vast majority governments of the world continue the old policies of destruction of biodiversity, and leave it to companies that deforest, abuse ocean fishing, dump all types of harmful chemical waste into the environment. Agreements on how and when to conserve, restore and use biodiversity in a fair and sustainable way are there, and there is abundant scientific evidence of their necessity, but they are not being put into practice. If we don't, biodiversity will continue to fail under the weight of land and sea use, overfishing, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species. This will further harm human health, economies and societies - with particularly damaging effects on indigenous peoples and local communities.

The UN 2020 report indicates the transitions that can create a society that lives in harmony with nature: in the way we use the land and forests, how we organize agriculture, food supply systems, fisheries management, use of water, urban environments and the effects of climate change. We know what needs to be done, what works and how we can achieve good results. Anyone who has tried has succeeded.

 Biodiversity will continue to fail under the weight of land and sea use, overexploitation and climate change

Sandro Calvani

NP Gennaio 2022