Falling Biodiversity Corrodes Welfare

The Economic Times     17th September 2020     Save    

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.