The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) launched the summary of a groundbreaking report on Monday, showing an alarming erosion of biodiversity, which hits the rural poor the hardest and is the cause for social instability and conflict.
The erosion of biodiversity compromises people's ability of adapting to the impacts of climate change, while accelerating loss of forests and illegal wildlife trade are putting some of the planet's most iconic species at the serious risk of extinction, according to the report.
"We have the power to stop these trends in their tracks, but it will require a profound and rapid transformation of our economies, markets, policies and behaviors," said Achim Steiner, administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
UNDP calls for immediate actions for transformative change to invest in unprecedented conservation and restoration of forests, wetlands, agricultural lands and mangroves, to ensure water security, food security, and sustainable livelihoods, Steiner said.
It is vital to engage the private sector in funding, and ensure the role of communities and indigenous peoples, Steiner said.
