THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR
Conservation experts around the world are sounding the alarm. The biodiversity crisis is here with grave implications for species and for people in all 50 states and beyond. (Sources)
Ivory-billed Woodpecker, a species driven extinct - lost forever - because of habitat destruction from land-use change. Audubon painting, public domain.
Nature is in Decline
Here are the facts:
-
One million species at risk of extinction
-
3/4 of the Earth's land surface and 2/3 of oceans significantly modified by people
-
The biomass of mammals has declined by 87%
-
The extent of coral reefs has declined by over 50%
-
Nearly 3 billion birds have been lost from North America since 1970
-
Biodiversity is being impacted in all 50 U.S. states
-
...and many other signs of decline.
Five Major Threats
The decline of biodiversity and nature's benefits to people are driven by five major threats:
Land-use change like deforestation is the leading threat to biodiversity and nature's benefits to people.
We often take nature's benefits for granted, such as the solitude it offers for contemplation and spirituality.
Nature's Benefits to People
From wetlands filtering our waters to pollination of the food we eat, to the basic enjoyment of the outdoors, people depend on nature to provide a wide array of benefits. In North America, nature's benefit to people has been estimated at nearly $9 trillion per year, or about $25,000 per person per year.
We Need Transformative Change
While the data are clear that the biodiversity crisis is real and happening now, scientists agree that now is the time to act. We need transformative change to human systems - from transportation to food and more - to ensure sustainable development and biodiversity conservation.
Scientific Sources
The scale and scope of the biodiversity crisis is described by thousands of reports, scientific papers, and indigenous knowledge. Here we gather some of the key sources that inform the need for a National Biodiversity Strategy for the United States. You can also read the scientists' letter calling for the Strategy.
