{"id":7175,"date":"2022-12-21T15:13:47","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T15:13:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/?page_id=7175"},"modified":"2024-10-17T16:52:17","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T15:52:17","slug":"biodiversity","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/biodiversity\/","title":{"rendered":"Biodiversity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover alignfull curved-bottom\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\"><\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1377\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/jenna-lee-122713-unsplash_crop-scaled.jpg\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-post-image\" alt=\"Bumblebee banner\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/jenna-lee-122713-unsplash_crop-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/jenna-lee-122713-unsplash_crop-300x161.jpg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/jenna-lee-122713-unsplash_crop-1024x551.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/jenna-lee-122713-unsplash_crop-768x413.jpg 768w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/jenna-lee-122713-unsplash_crop-1536x826.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/jenna-lee-122713-unsplash_crop-2048x1101.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\"><h1 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-post-title\">Biodiversity<\/h1><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"lead\">The diversity of life on Earth is essential to the health of our planet and to our wellbeing as human beings. But nature is under pressure as never before. Our needs for food, water and land, and our demands for energy and more and more stuff are destroying habitats, polluting our air and water, and driving species of animals and plants to extinction. We are now losing biodiversity up to ten&nbsp;thousand times faster than it was disappearing 100 years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>We are in a bottleneck of overpopulation and wasteful consumption that could push half of Earth\u2019s species to extinction in this century.&#8221;<\/p>\n<cite>&#8211; E.O Wilson<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"525\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/photo-1500349812227-3264f5f54181_0.jpeg\" alt=\"photo-1500349812227-3264f5f54181_0\" class=\"wp-image-1576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/photo-1500349812227-3264f5f54181_0.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/photo-1500349812227-3264f5f54181_0-300x197.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/photo-1500349812227-3264f5f54181_0-768x504.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In May 2019, the Intergovernmental Science Policy platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), released its global assessment, identifying the major threats to biodiversity worldwide. It explicitly noted that human population growth is an indirect driver of biodiversity loss and stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8230;changes to the direct drivers of nature deterioration cannot be achieved without transformative change that simultaneously addresses the indirect drivers.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Diversity is key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Healthy ecosystems, interdependent webs of living organisms and their physical environment, are vital to all life on Earth. Our ecosystems provide us with clean air, fresh water, food,&nbsp;resources and medicine.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Biodiversity, the variation of life on Earth, is a major factor in nature&#8217;s resilience. In a biodiverse ecosystem, if&nbsp;the environment changes and some organisms can no longer thrive, others can take their place and fulfill&nbsp;essential functions. It is often the most overlooked species that are the most important to healthy ecosystems. Insects, for example, play an essential role in pollinating flowering plants \u2014 a third of the food we eat depends on animal pollinators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read our report, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/resources\/vanishing-icons\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Vanishing Icons: How population growth is driving our most loved animals to extinction<\/strong><\/a><\/em>, which takes a look at six iconic species, and shows how our actions and numbers are threatening the natural world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that there are positive, ethical solutions to address the impact of population on biodiversity loss known as <a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/news\/2024\/04\/what-is-population-health-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Population Health Environment (PHE).<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/ask-your-political-representatives-to-support-phe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Help support PHE as a solution to solve the biodiversity crisis.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"728\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Human-population-and-extinctions-no-logo.png\" alt=\"Graphic - human population and extinctions\" class=\"wp-image-1579\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Human-population-and-extinctions-no-logo.png 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Human-population-and-extinctions-no-logo-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Human-population-and-extinctions-no-logo-768x546.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Human population and extinctions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Sixth Mass Extinction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since life appeared on Earth, there have been several mass extinctions in which many species were wiped out because of catastrophic climate change, volcanic activity, the impact of an asteroid or other reasons we have not yet discovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plants and animals which currently live on Earth have continued to evolve over the 65 million years since the last mass extinction. However, many scientists consider the huge reduction in biodiversity since the emergence of humans is now on the scale of another mass extinction. This is known as the&nbsp;Anthropocene extinction or sixth mass extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>WWF&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/livingplanet.panda.org\/en-GB\/\"><strong><em>Living Planet Report<\/em> <\/strong>2024<\/a> estimates that we have lost <a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldwildlife.org\/publications\/living-planet-report-2020\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">73% of\u00a0all vertebrate wildlife populations<\/a> since 1970. That&#8217;s more than half of all birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish gone in just 50 years. During that time, our population has more than doubled, increasing from 3.7 billion to over 8.1\u00a0billion today. Invertebrates, while understudied, aren&#8217;t faring any better. A\u00a0German study found that flying insect populations (including pollinators) have <a href=\"https:\/\/journals.plos.org\/plosone\/article?id=10.1371\/journal.pone.0185809\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">crashed by three-quarters<\/a> since 1989, reflecting similar trends around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In its landmark 2019 report, IPBES reported that one million species are now at risk of disappearing for good and according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/newredlist.iucnredlist.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">IUCN Red List of Threatened Species<\/a>, 41% of amphibians, 25% of mammals, 34% of conifers, 13%&nbsp;of birds, 31% of sharks and rays,&nbsp;33% of reef-building corals, and 27% of crustaceans are threatened with extinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"525\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/giraffe-resized.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/giraffe-resized.png 800w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/giraffe-resized-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/giraffe-resized-768x504.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Some countries are worse off than others. The <a href=\"https:\/\/stateofnature.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2023 <em>State of Nature<\/em><\/a> report concluded that the United Kingdom was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rspb.org.uk\/our-work\/stateofnature2016\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one of the most nature-depleted countries<\/a> in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Vertebrate-animal-mass-no-logo.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3842\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Vertebrate-animal-mass-no-logo.png 1800w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Vertebrate-animal-mass-no-logo-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Vertebrate-animal-mass-no-logo-1024x728.png 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Vertebrate-animal-mass-no-logo-768x546.png 768w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Vertebrate-animal-mass-no-logo-1536x1092.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"728\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/WILD-VERTEBRATE-ANIMAL-POPULATIONS-rect-no-logo_2.png\" alt=\"WILD-VERTEBRATE-ANIMAL-POPULATIONS-rect-no-logo_2\" class=\"wp-image-1073\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/WILD-VERTEBRATE-ANIMAL-POPULATIONS-rect-no-logo_2.png 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/WILD-VERTEBRATE-ANIMAL-POPULATIONS-rect-no-logo_2-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/WILD-VERTEBRATE-ANIMAL-POPULATIONS-rect-no-logo_2-768x546.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The drivers of extinctions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Since 1970, trends in agricultural production, fish harvest, bioenergy production and harvest of materials have increased, in response to population growth, rising demand and technological development. This has come at a steep price, which has been unequally distributed within and across countries.<\/p>\n<cite>Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystems Services, 2019<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Biodiversity loss is attributable to several causes&nbsp;but by far the biggest culprits are habitat destruction and overexploitation of species, driven&nbsp;by our exploding numbers&nbsp;and unsustainable consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Habitat destruction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever more people need ever more space. Damaging human activity continues to encroach on natural environments, thereby destroying the habitats of countless species. As our numbers rise, cities, infrastructure and cropland (see &#8216;Agricultural Intensification&#8217; below) are growing and merging into each other, fragmenting the remaining habitat and leaving isolated \u201cislands\u201d of natural populations of plants and animals too small to survive.&nbsp;According to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ipbes.net\/news\/Media-Release-Global-Assessment\">IPBES<\/a>, only one-quarter of land areas and one-third of oceans remain relatively undamaged by&nbsp;human activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/dominik-vanyi-632134-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3754\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overexploitation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever more people need ever more things. Humankind\u2019s relentless <a href=\"\/the-facts\/resources-consumption\">consumption of resources<\/a> such as timber, oil and minerals is continuing to destroy natural habitats around the globe. We are also putting enormous pressure on populations of wild species, both by bushmeat hunting in the developing world and by large-scale industrial fishing in our seas. Wildlife poaching and trafficking&nbsp;still present&nbsp;a huge threat to many species, including rhinos, tigers and pangolins.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1776\" height=\"1168\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Shrimp_bycatch.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Shrimp_bycatch.jpg 1776w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Shrimp_bycatch-300x197.jpg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Shrimp_bycatch-1024x673.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Shrimp_bycatch-768x505.jpg 768w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Shrimp_bycatch-1536x1010.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1776px) 100vw, 1776px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Climate Change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever more people produce ever more <a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/climate-change\/\">climate emissions<\/a>. Our planet is on the verge of a climate crisis due to our endless production of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide and methane. We are headed for a 3-4 \u00b0C&nbsp;warmer world by the end of the century if nations&#8217; current climate ambitions are delivered on. We are already seeing species decline due to global temperature increase. Every half a degree of warming has a huge knock-on effect on ecosystems, with mobile species running out of areas&nbsp;to migrate&nbsp;to and temperature-sensitive&nbsp;organisms&nbsp;like corals undergoing massive die-offs. When keystone species like reef-building corals disappear, the rich and complex ecosystems they support collapse as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/dan-gold-663291-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3769\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pollution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever more people produce ever more waste and pollution.&nbsp;As populations increase, the disposal of waste from households, agriculture and industry, becomes an increasingly serious issue. Our oceans are becoming choked with plastic waste which is killing millions of animals, from sea turtles to whales. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. As well as affecting the lives of humans, noise, light and chemical pollution all damage the health of wild species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1108\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SeaGull_IngridTaylar_Flickr_CC-BY-2.0.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SeaGull_IngridTaylar_Flickr_CC-BY-2.0.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SeaGull_IngridTaylar_Flickr_CC-BY-2.0-300x222.jpg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SeaGull_IngridTaylar_Flickr_CC-BY-2.0-1024x756.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/SeaGull_IngridTaylar_Flickr_CC-BY-2.0-768x567.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Agricultural intensification<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever more people need ever more food. Agriculture deserves a special mention here as it is a primary driver of habitat destruction, climate change and pollution. Agriculture takes up <a href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/land-use\">50% of all habitable land<\/a> on Earth,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/eatforum.org\/eat-lancet-commission\/eat-lancet-commission-summary-report\/\">80% of extinction threats<\/a> to mammal and bird species are due to agriculture, and our <a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/news\/2021\/02\/save-biodiversity-we-must-transform-our-food-systems\">modern food systems<\/a> are also the biggest contributor to climate change, responsible for around a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, with more than half of these coming from animal agriculture. In order to meet the <a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/the-facts-resources-consumption\/\">unsustainable consumption<\/a> patterns of the Global North and feed our huge population, humanity has developed agricultural systems which rely on monocultures, artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Monocultures are increasingly susceptible to disease so require widespread&nbsp;pesticide use which destroys insect populations. Intensive farming leads to soil depletion and runoff from farms pollutes water bodies and causes harmful algal blooms and the collapse of fish stocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/tractors_joao-marcelo-marques-791496-unsplash_0.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4088\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Invasive species<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever more people means ever more travel. Human travel across the world has&nbsp;a very large emissions footprint but it has also allowed the spread of invasive species, both accidental and intentional. As a consequence of the introduction of non-native species to some areas, such as rabbits and cats&nbsp;in Australia,&nbsp;goats on St. Helena, and&nbsp;American mink in Great Britain, we have put many vulnerable ecosystems at risk, threatening native species and diminishing biodiversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"861\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1280px-American_mink_Ryzhkov-Sergey_CC-BY-SA-4.0.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1280px-American_mink_Ryzhkov-Sergey_CC-BY-SA-4.0.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1280px-American_mink_Ryzhkov-Sergey_CC-BY-SA-4.0-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1280px-American_mink_Ryzhkov-Sergey_CC-BY-SA-4.0-1024x689.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/1280px-American_mink_Ryzhkov-Sergey_CC-BY-SA-4.0-768x517.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">PROTECT BIODIVERSITY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbd.int\/gbf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)<\/a> is an international treaty signed by almost 200 countries, including the UK, which sets out an ambitious plan to half and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The UK government has announced measures to support the Global Biodiversity Framework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, there is one effective solution that the UK government has neglected to include in any of its policies to prevent or reverse biodiversity loss \u2013 the inclusion of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/news\/2024\/04\/what-is-population-health-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Population Health Environment (PHE).<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">JOIN US<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/ask-your-political-representatives-to-support-phe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Support our campaign to promote PHE as a vital solution to the biodiversity crisis here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Find out more about the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/news\/2024\/04\/what-is-population-health-environment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">positive benefits of PHE here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-blue-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Test your knowledge on biodiversity!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tiger_clovis-wood-photography-3LI8zMPWBlg-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tiger_clovis-wood-photography-3LI8zMPWBlg-unsplash.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tiger_clovis-wood-photography-3LI8zMPWBlg-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tiger_clovis-wood-photography-3LI8zMPWBlg-unsplash-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/test-your-knowledge-biodiversity-loss\">Take the quiz<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>How much do you know about biodiversity and how it is impacted by human activity? Take our quiz to find out.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-world-map-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Read our latest biodiversity news<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/news\">Biodiversity news<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find all the latest updates on this topic at the link below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-popmat-share\"><a class=\"fb-share\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpopulationmatters.org%2Fbiodiversity%2F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><div><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M400 32H48A48 48 0 0 0 0 80v352a48 48 0 0 0 48 48h137.25V327.69h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.27c-30.81 0-40.42 19.12-40.42 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V480H400a48 48 0 0 0 48-48V80a48 48 0 0 0-48-48z\"><\/path><\/svg> Share<\/div><\/a><a class=\"tw-share\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpopulationmatters.org%2Fbiodiversity%2F&amp;text=Biodiversity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><div><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M459.37 151.716c.325 4.548.325 9.097.325 13.645 0 138.72-105.583 298.558-298.558 298.558-59.452 0-114.68-17.219-161.137-47.106 8.447.974 16.568 1.299 25.34 1.299 49.055 0 94.213-16.568 130.274-44.832-46.132-.975-84.792-31.188-98.112-72.772 6.498.974 12.995 1.624 19.818 1.624 9.421 0 18.843-1.3 27.614-3.573-48.081-9.747-84.143-51.98-84.143-102.985v-1.299c13.969 7.797 30.214 12.67 47.431 13.319-28.264-18.843-46.781-51.005-46.781-87.391 0-19.492 5.197-37.36 14.294-52.954 51.655 63.675 129.3 105.258 216.365 109.807-1.624-7.797-2.599-15.918-2.599-24.04 0-57.828 46.782-104.934 104.934-104.934 30.213 0 57.502 12.67 76.67 33.137 23.715-4.548 46.456-13.32 66.599-25.34-7.798 24.366-24.366 44.833-46.132 57.827 21.117-2.273 41.584-8.122 60.426-16.243-14.292 20.791-32.161 39.308-52.628 54.253z\"><\/path><\/svg> Tweet<\/div><\/a><a class=\"li-share\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpopulationmatters.org%2Fbiodiversity%2F&amp;text=Biodiversity\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><div><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg> Post<\/div><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-light-blue-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-popmat-grid grid grid-3\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-popmat-post-teaser\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/news\/2020\/06\/human-caused-mass-extinction-still-accelerating\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3>Human-caused mass extinction still accelerating<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"288\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/parrot-banner-768x288.jpg\" class=\"wp-image-2356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/parrot-banner-768x288.jpg 768w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/parrot-banner-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/parrot-banner-1024x384.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/parrot-banner-1536x576.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/parrot-banner.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/img>\n\t\t\t\t<p>A new analysis shows the sixth mass extinction is accelerating, with more than 500 vertebrate species at risk of becoming extinct in less than 20 years \u2013 as many as&#8230;<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-popmat-post-teaser\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/news\/2024\/04\/what-is-population-health-environment\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3>What Is Population, Health, Environment?<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-3-768x576.jpeg\" class=\"wp-image-12359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-3-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-3-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-3-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-3-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-3.jpeg 1728w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/img>\n\t\t\t\t<p>Population Health Environment (PHE) is an integrated approach to environmental conservation, family planning, and sustainable development. Find out more about PHE and join our campaign. <\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-popmat-post-teaser\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/ask-your-political-representatives-to-support-phe\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3>Ask your political representatives to help curb biodiversity loss<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-2-768x576.jpeg\" class=\"wp-image-12357\" srcset=\"https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-2-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-2-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-2-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-2-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/populationmatters.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/WfC-8-2.jpeg 1728w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/img>\n\t\t\t\t<p>Population Health Environment (PHE) has been proven to have better results than single sector projects, however it has been neglected as an approach by the UK government. We need your help to get PHE higher up the agenda.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nature is under pressure as never before. One million species are under the threat of extinction. Our human population is one of the drivers of the biodiversity crisis. Learn more. ","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":2180,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-7175","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Biodiversity - Population Matters<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Nature is under critical pressure. One million species are threatened with extinction. 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