The last several decades have led to an alarming unprecedented loss in biodiversity due to how our economies and societies unsustainably use our land and seas. The Living Planet Report states an average of 60 per cent decline in wildlife population sizes since 1970. More recently, it is estimated that on average about 25 per cent of plant and animal species are threatened with extinction indicating that at least one million species are already facing the threat of extinction. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the International Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) have appealed for the need for conservation and restoration of biodiversity. Coherent adaptation of social, ecological and economic systems, through approaches that “prioritise equity, social and climate justice, rights-based approaches, and inclusivity” are critical for limiting negative impacts of climate change, and delivering sustainable adaptation outcomes for people, livelihoods and ecosystems. Biodiversity is fundamental to fighting the negative effects of climate change by stabilising our climate, filtering pollutants and providing food, drinking water and livelihoods to people around the world. For nature, climate, people and the global economy, the consequence of allowing business as usual to continue far outweighs the cost of taking action. One of the ways to achieve this is through the development of high-integrity nature markets and innovative mechanisms such as voluntary biodiversity credits.
The Four Horsemen of the UK Fisheries Policy Apocalypse
The UK has the responsibility, and the policy frameworks available, to provide meaningful and lasting protection to all its marine areas. This includes the government proceeding with and concluding its plans to remove bottom trawling from MPAs, safeguarding the biodiversity and habitats that they were designed to protect.
28 September 2025