Press Note WWF Living Planet Report
9 BILLIONS OF PEOPLE, MILLIONS OF EMISSIONS AND ONE PLANET.
WWF Living Planet Report 2012 calls on governments, private sector and individuals to make better choices for a better future. Will one planet be enough?
(Target: general public)
Madrid, February 25, 2012. The WWF Living Planet Report 2012 is a warning on the high pressure human impact is putting on the earth. The report highlights the increase of the Ecological Footprint, the impact on the Biodiversity preservation, the Ecosystem loss and tries to answer the question:
“Can we create a better future that provides food, water and energy to 9 billion people living in a currently overexploited planet?”
According to the National Research Council (2011) “The world is entering a new geologic epoch, sometimes called, anthropocene, in which human activities will largely control the evolution of earth’s environment”.
The report highlights the main issues affecting the planet:
- 30% of global decline in biodiversity health in the last 40 years
- Footprint exceeding the Earth’s bio capacity
- Millions of hectares of land under sales negotiations for securing future food production
- 2010 emissions of CO2 risen to the highest level in history
A big pressure on the earth that is already over exploited. Can we do something to live in a better future and in harmony with the nature?
According to WWF perspective, the answer is in our hands.
We have different choices of consuming, investing, producing, it is just a matter of making better choices.
Source: WWF Living Planet Report 2012
Natural capital therefore must be preserved. How? Protecting land, marine areas and water reserves necessary for food and energy services. Implementing new mechanism for climate adaptation and mitigation. Preserving the forest and restoring ecosystems.
Another better choice regards the production. Having a more efficient production systems with sustainability at any level, would mean a decrease of the demand of water, land and energy and a massive reduction of waste. Renewable energy, recycling and recovery could also improve the production system with positive impact on the resource management and in the ecological footprint.
A wiser consume could have a positive impact on climate change, water availability and biodiversity. Red meat and dairy consumption should decrease in the developed countries in order to have a more healthy global diet also in the developing ones.
A responsible investment plays a key role in such a context. According to the IFC (World Bank Group branch) companies investing on environment and social aspects have an 11% higher return.
The cooperation of governments, food industry, health and education institutions is essential in this possible transformation process aimed to have an equitable resource governance.
New economic policies that include social and environmental indices should be implemented soon as well as universal access to education, empowerment of women and a better health service.
As the Director of WWF International, Jim Leape, reminds us: ”we all need to play a role in keeping this a living planet”.
WWF is the international organization focused in wildlife conservation and endangered species.
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23 Jan 2013
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Veronica Recanati
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