The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has just released its biennial Living Planet Report, which is an exhaustive analysis of changing trends and shifting patterns in global biodiversity and its impact.
The 2018 report is the 12th edition that provides dismaying scientific evidence about what we have all been noting over the years but turning a blind eye to – the depletion of earth’s natural resources, destruction of green cover and environmental degradation due to indiscriminate human activity.
The Living Planet Index (LPI) uses data provided by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the report stresses on the immediate need for a concrete action plan with crystal clear guideline and targets, if we want to reverse the trend of rampant erosion of biodiversity and save our planet before it’s too late.
Through 5 maps by WWF, let us understand what’s really wrong with the earth’s biosphere and why we need to focus on sustainable living and environmental conservation.
Consumption Patterns
All natural resources are non-renewable and most of them are at the risk of depletion in the next few decades. The distribution of natural resources on the earth is uneven and naturally, consumption patterns too are disproportionate. In a globalized economy, where consumerism is increasing rapidly, ‘conspicuous consumption’ is putting an undue burden on the environment with per capita carbon footprint increasing with sudden changing lifestyles and consumption patterns.
Ecological footprints vary due to the difference in consumption patterns and lifestyle changes, including the number of goods and services that are consumed and the carbon dioxide emitted to manufacture these goods. As can be seen in the map, there is an enormous difference in the ecological footprints of developed western countries and developing countries. Countries highlighted in yellow have the least ecological footprint, and with purple have the most.
Soil Biodiversity
Soil is essential for forestation and agriculture and around 25% of life leaves beneath the soil. This includes ants, earthworms as well as microorganisms and bacteria that can only be viewed with the help of a microscope. These organisms provide nutrients to the soil and maintain the soil composition by regulating greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing soil fertility by keeping a natural check on the various pathogens.
Pollution, overgrazing of fields, soil erosion, global warming and desertification are some factors that decrease soil quality.
The map clearly highlights that the areas with the lowest risk of a decrease in soil biodiversity are in the northernmost part of the northern hemisphere because these regions are sparsely populated and generally not agrarian. The map also demonstrates the direct correlation between increased industrialization, population, human activity and deterioration in soil quality.
Also Read: 3 years on, countries nowhere near reaching the SDG mark by 2030
Deforestation
Clearing swathes of forest land either for farmlands or to build human settlements or infrastructure projects is a big contributor to climate change, loss of biodiversity, ozone layer depletion and increased risk of natural disasters. Many rare species are also at the risk of extinction due to deforestation. The map shows areas around Amazon rainforest, Congo Basin and areas in South East Asia where deforestation is taking place.
Marine Life
Oceans too are bearing the brunt of human activities and water pollution is leading to the death of many aquatic species. Around 25% of marine life is supported by coral reefs but in the past 30 years, more than half of the world’s corals have been destroyed. It is being estimated that going by the current alarming rate, more than 90% of the world’s corals will cease to exist in the next 50 years.
Unregulated and illegal fishing, which is worth billions of dollars, is also responsible for the destruction of ocean biodiversity and steps need to be taken to monitor illegal fishing vessels. The map shows the hours of fishing that takes place per hour in different oceans.
Mapping threats faced
All freshwater and terrestrial populations in the global LPI are assigned to one of five major biogeographic realms, which is the habitat of a collection of distinct species.
The LPI lays down the Earth’s biodiversity by focussing on the average rate of change over time across a set of species populations
The map shows which region is vulnerable to which threat, like habitat degradation, disease, pollution, and climate change.
Also Read: Act now or perish: UN panel on climate change gives ultimatum of 12 years
