The Living Planet Index is a measure of global diversity. It is based on data on more than 27,000 populations of 4,300 species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians. The Living Planet Index is made in collaboration between the Zoological Society of London and WWF.

According to The Living Planet Index, These populations have seen a decline of 68 % between 1970 and 2016. And the populations keep getting smaller. If the development continues, another 20 % will be lost by 2030.

According to the Living Planet Report 2020, the most important driver of biodiversity loss in the last decades has been the destruction of natural ecosystems and habitats to satisfy the demand of a rapidly expanding global consumer economy. In the past 50 year, we have seen an explosion in global trade, consumption and the human population.

As a result, forests, grasslands, and mangroves have been converted into agricultural or industrial systems, putting enormous pressure on many of the species of our planet.The destruction of ecosystems means that 1 million species are threatened with extinction

over the coming decades to centuries. Our relationship with the planet is way out of balance.

We are overusing Earth’s resources with 80 % meaning that we need 1.8 planets to sustain our consumption and way of life.

State of freshwater-life

The Living Planet Index also looks at the state of biodiversity in different ecosystems. Freshwater populations have declined by 84% since 1970 making it the most critically endangered group of species.

Almost one in three freshwater species are threatened with extinction.

Threats to biodiversity

The Living Planet Index lists a number of factors causing the loss of biodiversity and decline in species populations.

• Changes in land and sea use, including habitat loss and degradation: Includes unsustainable agriculture, logging, residential or commercial development, energy production and mining.
• Species overexploitation: Includes unsustainable fishing, hunting, or harvesting.
• Invasive species and disease: Includes when humans transport species and new diseases from one area of the globe to another.
• Pollution: E.g. from industry, agriculture or urban areas.
• Climate change: Rising temperatures cause changes to habitats and thereby extinction of species.