WWF's Living Planet Report 2012 highlights the declining state of biodiversity and ecosystems due to humanity's demand on natural resources, calling for action on these issues at Rio+20.
It finds that high-income countries have an ecological footprint five times greater than that of low-income countries and notes the need for a significant shift in global consumption patterns.
15 May 2012: WWF has launched its “Living Planet Report 2012,” a biennial survey of the state of the world’s biodiversity and environment. This year’s report is a special edition, titled “On the Road to Rio+20.”
The ninth edition of WWF’s Living Planet report describes the declining health of the planet’s forests, rivers and oceans, highlighting that biodiversity has decreased by an average of 28% between 1970-2008, with tropical species experiencing decreases of up to 60%. Noting that “we are living as if we had an extra planet at our disposal,” the report says humans are consuming 50% more resources than the planet can provide. It highlights that high-income countries have an ecological footprint five times greater than that of low-income countries. The report calls for a significant shift in global consumption patterns, noting that the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) is a key opportunity for global leaders to reconfirm their commitment to creating a sustainable future for all.
WWF’s Living Planet Report highlights the changing state of biodiversity, ecosystems and humanity’s demand on natural resources and explores the implications of these changes. [Publication: Living Planet Report 2012]