Living planet report 2020: 8 billion reasons to save nature

The living planet report compiles the results of research by more than 125 experts and scientists on five continents. Every two years, they provide an overview of global biodiversity trends through the so-called Living Planet Index. This index analyzes the abundance of nearly 21,000 vertebrate populations (mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians) in the world, divided into 4,392 species.

In 2020, scientists found that on average, 68% of the animal populations observed in this study are in decline. This discovery is the result of observing these animal populations between 1970 and 2016 worldwide. And that's not all! Most of the oceans have been polluted (by plastic, oil, garbage and others) and more than 85% of the world's wetlands have already disappeared. The destruction of ecosystems has led to one million species (500,000 animals and plants and 500,000 insects) being threatened with extinction in the coming decades and even centuries. Madagascar is not to be outdone. In July 2020, the IUCN announced that 31% of all Madagascar's lemur species are critically endangered now, when a 2019 WWF scientific report already showed that 53% of Madagascar's terrestrial protected areas are highly vulnerable to climate change. The main reason is the loss of habitats due to deforestation.

The way we produce and consume food and energy, as well as the blatant disregard for the environment embedded in our current economic model, have pushed the planet's ecosystems to their very limits. In Madagascar, deforestation in all its forms has destroyed 254,000 hectares of forests in 2019 according to the Global Forest Watch.  Covid-19 is a clear manifestation of our broken relationship with nature. It highlights the profound interconnection between the health of people and the health of the planet. We have 8 billion reasons to respond to nature's SOS. Not only to preserve the incredible biodiversity that we love and with which we have a moral duty to coexist, but also because ignoring it puts the future of nearly 8 billion people at stake.

The government of our country already has a clear vision: Greening Madagascar.  The future of Madagascar and Malagasy people depends on the renewable natural resources that the country has at its disposal.

But the country alone cannot do everything ; it requires the mobilization of everyone to save nature. The emergence of Madagascar will not happen if our natural capital is destroyed. And the destroyed biodiversity must be restored to support a sustainable economy. "Access to energy is a manifestation of a country's development, and it is a service provided by the forests, therefore by nature.  Access to the water we depend on for food is also threatened if nature is destroyed.  And Madagascar's endemic natural resources are a source of foreign currency for the tourism sector, which contributes a lot to the country's economy. There can be no development without nature," says Tiana Ramahaleo from WWF.

Secondly, we must put an end to all trafficking in natural resources and firmly enforce the laws in force in both their preventive and repressive aspects. We must also ensure the sustainability of our protected areas and marine resources ; this biodiversity is the "infrastructure" that supports our society and our development.

Together, let's protect and restore nature, the foundation of a healthy Malagasy society and a prosperous economy. 

It is time to sign a new deal for nature and humanity that will enable us to reverse the loss of life by 2030 to ensure a future for the 8 billion people on Earth.

You can read and download the report HERE.