Global Biodiversity: Indicators of Recent Declines

Abstract

In 2002, world leaders committed themselves to achieve a significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010. We compiled 31 indicators within the framework developed by the Convention on Biological Diversity to report on this target. Most indicators of the state of biodiversity (covering species¿ population trends, habitat extent/condition and community composition) show declines, with no significant reductions in rate, individually or aggregated. Species¿ extinction risk has also increased at an accelerating rate. Indicators of pressures on biodiversity (covering resource consumption, invasive alien species [IAS], nitrogen pollution, over-exploitation and climate change impacts) show increasing trends, with no significant reductions in rate. This is despite some local system-specific successes and increasing trends for response indicators (extent and biodiversity coverage of protected areas, sustainable forest management, responses to IAS, and biodiversity-related aid), although progress has slowed in some cases. Multiple factors contributed to this failure to meet the target, including inadequate targeting, funding and implementation of biodiversity policies, lack of mainstreaming of biodiversity across all sectors, and failure to account suffiently for the economic value of biodiversity in decision making.