World Wildlife Fund’s 2024 Living Planet Report reveals a concerning decline in all indicators used to monitor global nature.
The report utilizes the Living Planet Index, which tracks the sizes of animal populations and their fluctuations. This index serves as a crucial early warning system for risks associated with species extinction and ecosystem degradation.
The Living Planet Index indicates a staggering 73% decrease in the average size of monitored wildlife populations over the past five decades. Particularly alarming is the 85% decline in freshwater populations. Regions such as Latin America and the Caribbean have been severely impacted, with climate change emerging as the primary driver of biodiversity loss in these areas.
The report underscores the rapid disappearance of nature, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. Additionally, it identifies five critical tipping points that, if crossed, could have cataclysmic repercussions for the planet.
Furthermore, the article delves into the latest developments concerning Hurricane Milton, a powerful storm surpassing even Hurricane Helene in intensity. According to U.S. authorities, Milton ranked as the most potent hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico since Hurricane Rita in 2005 in terms of wind speed and the fifth most intense in the Atlantic basin based on pressure levels, which are inversely related to hurricane strength.
A beacon of hope amidst these dire circumstances is the conservation efforts aimed at protecting the coral reefs in Indonesia.
Presentation: Priyali Prakash
Video and production: Zeeshan Akhtar
Published – October 14, 2024 04:48 pm IST
