05/06/2019
The report's 39-page summary highlighted five ways people are reducing biodiversity:
-Turning forests, grasslands and other areas into farms, cities and other developments. The habitat loss leaves plants and animals homeless. About three-quarters of Earth's land, two-thirds of its oceans and 85% of crucial wetlands have been severely altered or lost, making it harder for species to survive, the report said.
-Overfishing the world's oceans. A third of the world's fish stocks are overfished.
-Permitting climate change from the burning of fossil fuels to make it too hot, wet or dry for some species to survive. Almost half of the world's land mammals — not including bats — and nearly a quarter of the birds have already had their habitats hit hard by global warming.
-Polluting land and water. Every year, 300 million to 400 million tons of heavy metals, solvents and toxic sludge are dumped into the world's waters.
-Allowing invasive species to crowd out native plants and animals. The number of invasive alien species per country has risen 70% since 1970, with one species of bacteria threatening nearly 400 amphibian species.
Extinction is looming over 1 million species of plants and animals, according to the United Nations' first comprehensive report on biodiversity.
