Falling Biodiversity Corrodes Welfare

CONTEXT: Human beings are exploiting and destroying nature at an unprecedented rate and efforts by governments to halt the destruction have been are woefully inadequate.

Fall in Biodiversity and its Conservation: as suggested by the following reports:

• Global Biodiversity Outlook 5

• Global Biodiversity Outlook is published by United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.
• Findings:

• Aichi Targets: None of the 20 goals targeted for 2020 to slowdown destruction of wildlife, will be achieved.
• Second consecutive failure of the world.

• Living Planet Report 2020

• Living Planet Report is published biennially by World Wildlife Fund.
• Animal population decline: by 68% between 1970 and 2016; additional 8% since the last report.

Way Forward:

• Individual as well as collective steps by all countries/stakeholders is of utmost importance.
• Mainstreaming of nature is required in the development plans of developing countries such as India, despite the need to augment economic growth to bridge the gap.
• Countries need to transition to development pathways that take into account the critical role of nature. 

Conclusion: From reduced pollination that lowers crop yields and wildfires that ravage communities to the extinction of creatures of rare beauty, loss of biodiversity produces much harm.