Global wildlife populations decline by 73% in just 50 years, with food system as primary driver, report finds
The new report highlights a ‘system in peril’ as the world nears dangerous, irreversible tipping points that would be catastrophic for humanity.
Wildlife populations have plummeted by 73 percent in just five decades, driven primarily by our global food system, according to a landmark report, with experts warning the next five years will be crucial for securing the future of life on Earth.
The Living Planet Report, published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), monitors nearly 35,000 vertebrate populations across 5,495 species, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, over the past 50 years. It highlights that habitats like the Amazon rainforest are approaching "tipping points," which could have "catastrophic consequences" for "most species."
“Nature is issuing a distress call,” said Dr. Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of WWF International. “The linked crises of nature loss and climate change are pushing wildlife and ecosystems beyond their limits, with dangerous global tipping points threatening to damage Earth’s life-support systems and destabilize societies. The catastrophic consequences of losing some of our most precious ecosystems, like the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs, would be felt by people and nature around the world.”
The report found that habitat loss and degradation, predominantly caused by food systems, is the biggest threat to wildlife populations around the world, followed by overexploitation, invasive species and disease.
“Here is yet another science-based report telling us the same story about our food system - a story we’ve ignored for far too long.”
Overwhelming scientific evidence shows that animal agriculture, particularly meat and dairy, is a leading contributor to food-related climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that livestock farming accounts for 14.5 percent of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, primarily in the form of carbon dioxide and methane—two major drivers of global warming. Notably, cattle alone are responsible for 65 percent of these emissions.
Transitioning to a plant-based diet has the potential to reduce these harmful emissions by up to 75 percent. When it comes to methane emissions specifically, a plant-based diet can cut emissions by an astounding 93 percent compared to high-meat diets. Additionally, agriculture-related deforestation is responsible for at least three-quarters of all deforestation, with over 40 percent attributed to beef production alone.
Lead author and WWF chief scientific adviser Mike Barrett said through human action, "particularly the way that we produce and consume our food, we are increasingly losing natural habitat”.
The findings show that the steepest declines in monitored wildlife populations are in Latin America and the Caribbean, which experienced a 95 percent drop, followed by Africa at 76 percent and the Asia–Pacific region at 60 percent. Europe and North America recorded 39 percent and 35 percent declines, respectively, since 1970.
The most significant decline was observed in freshwater species, with an 85 percent reduction, followed by terrestrial populations at 69 percent and marine populations at 56 percent. Among the species mentioned in the report is the pink river dolphin, whose population in the Amazon fell by 65 percent.
Daudi Sumba, WWF International’s chief conservation officer, warned that the alarming findings are “not just about wildlife,” but “about the essential ecosystems that sustain human life.”
“The changes could be irreversible, with devastating consequences for humanity,” said Sumba, using the example of deforestation in the Amazon, which could “shift this critical ecosystem from a carbon sink to a carbon source”.
Humanity’s survival hinges on essential resources like clean air, water, and healthy soils for food. However, when ecosystems are damaged, these critical resources are compromised, making them increasingly susceptible to tipping points—the thresholds at which ecosystems undergo significant and potentially irreversible changes.
WWF says that global tipping points, such as the dieback of the Amazon rainforest and the mass die-off of coral reefs, would create shockwaves far beyond the immediate area impacting food security and livelihoods.
“Nature provides the foundation for human health, a stable climate, the world's economy, and life on earth. The Living Planet Report updates fifty-year trend lines of how much we've lost and tipping points that lie ahead," said WWF-US President and CEO Carter Roberts. “It highlights the most powerful tools to stem the loss and match the scale of this slow-motion catastrophe. A wake-up call that we need to get going, and fast.”
“The good news is that we’re not yet past the point of no return,” said Schuijt. But she warned, “All of these agreements have checkpoints in 2030 that are in danger of being missed.”
WWF is calling on countries to “rise to the scale of the challenge” by producing and implementing more ambitious national nature and climate plans that include measures to reduce global overconsumption, halt and reverse both domestic and imported biodiversity loss and cut emissions. The organization points to upcoming international biodiversity and climate summits – COP16 and COP29 – as key opportunities for governments and businesses to act.
“We have global agreements and solutions to set nature on the path to recovery by 2030, but so far there’s been little progress on delivery and a lack of urgency,” Schuijt continued. “The decisions made and action taken over the next five years will be crucial for the future of life on Earth. The power − and opportunity − are in our hands to change the trajectory. We can restore our living planet if we act now.”
What can you do?
In order to protect the biodiversity of the planet, finite resources like fresh water, as well as the lives of animals themselves, the most critical thing you can do is adopt a plant-based diet.
Species Unite’s 30-Day Plant-Powered Challenge can help you make the first step toward eating plant-based. Sign up here for 30 days of free recipes, advice, support, and guidance sent straight to your inbox.
We Have A Favor To Ask…
Species Unite amplifies well-researched solutions to some of the most abusive animal industries operating today.
At this crucial moment, with worldwide momentum for change building, it’s vital we share these animal-free solutions with the world - and we need your help.
We’re a nonprofit, and so to keep sharing these solutions, we’re relying on you - with your support, we can continue our essential work in growing a powerful community of animal advocates this year.
