May 6, 2019 – OTTAWA, Ontario – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is dismayed by the findings of the report released today by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which indicates the rate of species loss is rapidly increasing all over the world.
The most startling finding from the report is that approximately 1 million animal and plant species are on the verge of extinction – a never before seen reality in human history. The report found that the number one direct driver of these findings is “changes in land and sea use” – 75% of the world’s terrestrial environment and 66% of the world’s oceans have been “severely altered” to date by human activities.
As an evidence- and science-based conservation organization, CPAWS knows species loss is directly correlated to habitat degradation, which is why large landscape habitat protection is at the very heart of its conservation mandate. CPAWS has long been a champion of ambitious conservation goals, becoming the first national organization in the world – back in 2005 – to adopt a vision of protecting half of our public land and ocean. This bold move was based on evidence that this was what was needed to tackle nature’s steep decline, which is primarily driven by habitat loss and climate change.
At the recent Nature Champions Summit in Montreal, CPAWS reiterated its pledge to nature, announcing its commitment to protection of 30% of land and ocean by 2030 on the way to 50% by 2050. Canada, with 30% of the world’s boreal forest, 20% of the world’s freshwater resources, the world’s longest coastline and one of the largest marine territories, has a unique opportunity to protect its expansive wilderness not just for Canadians but the overall health of the planet.
“Canadians support Canada being a conservation leader in the world,” says Alison Ronson, Interim National Executive Director of CPAWS. “This report shows us how very important it is for Canada to act now to stop this catastrophic decline in species populations.”
And, conservation works: the report also found a 29% reduction in the extinction risk for mammals and birds in 109 countries thanks to conservation investments between 1996 and 2008. However, unless transformative changes are implemented, the report indicates that current negative trends in nature – such as mass species extinction, land degradation, plastic pollution, and unsustainable harvesting among others – will continue beyond 2050.
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Alison Ronson
Interim National Executive Director, CPAWS
aronson@localhost | Office 613-569-7226 ext. 235
About CPAWS
The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) is Canada’s only nationwide charity dedicated solely to the protection of our public land, ocean and freshwater, and ensuring our parks and protected areas are managed to protect nature. In the past 56 years, we have played a leading role in protecting over half a million square kilometres – an area bigger than the entire Yukon Territory! Our vision is to protect at least half of Canada’s public land and water in a framework of reconciliation – for the benefit of both wildlife and humans.
Background Information on IPBES Report
With 145 expert authors from 50 countries and input from another 310 contributing authors, the IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services is the most comprehensive report of its kind ever completed. It assessed changes over the past five decades to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between economic development pathways and the resulting impacts on nature.