Humans Are 'Destroying' The Planet And Decimating Wildlife, WWF Study Finds

“We are the first generation to know and the last that can do anything about it."

Wildlife species around the world are under serious threat of decline, a major new study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has claimed. In its Living Planet Report, which the animal charity publishes every two years, the WWF said that three-quarters of the world had now been impacted by humans with safe havens for animal populations dwindling. The report found that current rates of species extinctions are 100 to 1,000 times higher than the background rate – which is the estimated rate of extinction before human pressure became a prominent factor.

“Exploding human consumption is the driving force behind the unprecedented planetary change we are witnessing, through the increased demand for energy, land and water,” the report said.

“For too long we have taken nature for granted, and this needs to stop.”

The report claims that in the UK, hedgehog populations have declined 75 per cent in urban areas between 2002 and 2014, as a result of loss of habitat and vehicle deaths among other factors. The Indo-Pacific whale shark population is also estimated by the WWF to have reduced by 63 per cent over the last 75 years, while it said African elephant populations in Tanzania declined by 60 per cent between 2009 and 2014, primarily due to poaching. As a result of climate change, it claimed, polar bear numbers are projected to decline by 30 per cent by 205 because as sea ice melts, their ability to hunt seals, find mates and access remote denning sites is reduced.

Tanya Steele, Chief Executive at WWF said: “We are the first generation to know we are destroying our planet and the last one that can do anything about it. We need urgent action from our leaders and a new global deal for nature and people that kick starts a global programme of recovery.”


https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/humans-are-destroying-the-planet-and-decimating-wildlife-populations-major-new-study-finds_uk_5bd83730e4b017e5bfd59a70?x46&utm_hp_ref=uk-homepage

Well, some of us have been saying this for years. The greater the human population its obvious there is greater demand for farming, housing, water and all the other commodities we see as our right as almighty humans. I don't know where people think the other species are going to go as we encroach on more and more of their habitat.

People have known this for years and yet we are still destroying the planet.

I was in the supermarket yesterday and the cashier tried to wrap my plastic covered food in a plastic bag. I was like...what are you doing? Stop! She looked at me as if I was mad.

She would have charged you 5p for the bag as well !

You've got to admit, if one day you found mold in your home as thick as people in New York City, you would immediately go out and purchase a spray.

It's because far too many people are selfish and either don't want to admit it to themselves or don't really even care.

So they either say that the scientists are lying or they pull into their shells and ignore it.

And it's also because they're manipulated by the people who won't make money any more if we protect the animals' habitats, of course.

nicko wrote:She would have charged you 5p for the bag as well !

No, it was one of those thin plastic ones you get free when you buy certain foods that leak. I think it was salad I bought. I'll risk leaky.

The WWF's headline is slightly misleading,  aimed more towards dramatic impact (and hopefully raising a few more persons' awareness..), rather than factual accuracy...

Mankind has been decimating wildlife for the last couple of millenia,  with a greatly exponential increase over the last 300 years, in line with exploding human populations, industrialisation, colonialism, and the burgeoning corporate putch for "economic expansionism" and consumerism with it's faux-promises of "raised living standards"..

As for mankind "destroying the planet", the Earth itself will survive for a few billion years yet  --  it is the current 'environment', and hence Mankinds' own habitats, that will eventually be 'destroyed'.

The Earth itself will inevitably prove to be much more resilient than a self-destructive 'Mankind', whose existence is but a mere 'blink' in the 12 billion year lifespan of this rock we all live upon..

   

The forum village idiot Tom will deny this as fake news, if he even shows his face again.
HE has zero credibility, after his refusal to define rear right wing.

One of the biggest destroyers of Wildlife are the Chinese ,who think that killing all kinds of Animals for certain parts of them, that they believe will make them more "virile" !

WhoseYourWolfie wrote:

The WWF's headline is slightly misleading,  aimed more towards dramatic impact (and hopefully raising a few more persons' awareness..),  rather than factual accuracy...

Mankind has been decimating wildlife for the last couple of millenia,  with a greatly exponential increase over the last 300 years, in line with exploding human populations, industrialisation, colonialism, and the burgeoning corporate putch for "economic expansionism" and consumerism with it's faux-promises of "raised living standards"..

As for mankind "destroying the planet", the Earth itself will survive for a few billion years yet  --  it is the current 'environment', and hence Mankinds' own habitats, that will eventually be 'destroyed'.

The Earth itself will inevitably prove to be much more resilient than a self-destructive 'Mankind', whose existence is but a mere 'blink' in the 12 billion year lifespan of this rock we all live upon..

   

well said wolf I think that is 100% accurate

the problem is global overpopulation
humans by existing in the numbers that we do are pushing the natural ecosystems to their edge which inevitable causes other species to be wiped out due to lack of available habitat.

and that is in addition to our pollution and general 'recklessness' causing issues