Global Forest Emergency: Deforestation Threatens Biodiversity
While the study paints an overall bleak picture of the state of forest biodiversity, the case studies it also includes show that forest animals can recover with the right measures in place. Using examples such as gorillas in Central and Eastern Africa and capuchin monkeys in Costa Rica, among others, WWF highlights solutions that have helped forest wildlife bounce back.
Global wildlife populations in forests have declined by more than half on average since 1970. This is the conclusion of the study «Below The Canopy» published by WWF — the first investigation of its kind dedicated specifically to tracking global forest animal population trends.Below The Canopy. It is the first study of its kind dedicated specifically to tracking the development of global animal populations in forests.
The environmentalists cite human-caused habitat loss as the primary cause of the decline. Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for 60 percent of the collapse in animal populations. According to WWF, the situation is particularly dramatic in tropical regions, such as the Amazon rainforest.
«The vast majority of all land animals live in and depend on forests. But this dependence is mutual: forests rely on an intact wildlife community to perform vital functions for them, such as pollinating and dispersing tree seeds. Without animals, forests also lose their ability to store carbon. The tree species most important for climate protection are at risk of being lost without animals», says Dr. Susanne Winter, Forest Programme Director at WWF Germany. «Forests are our greatest natural ally in the fight against global warming. If we want to reverse the worldwide decline in biodiversity and prevent the climate crisis, we must protect forests and the species that live in them.»
A total of 268 vertebrate species and 455 populations living in and fully dependent on forests were examined. On average, these populations of birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles have declined by an average of 53 percent since 1970. In light of this dramatic development, WWF is calling on the international community to declare a planetary forest emergency and to forge a “New Deal” for people and nature. The goal must be to halt the climate catastrophe, preserve the Earth’s remaining natural spaces, and find a path toward a sustainable economy. The protection and restoration of forests must be at the heart of these efforts.
WWF identifies 2020 as a pivotal year for decisive steps in this direction: the environmental advocates expect world leaders to make progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. Above all, there is a need for clearly defined and measurable milestones in the negotiation of new ten-year targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
According to WWF, deforestation is not the only problem, despite its particular significance. The loss of forest quality also plays an important role. Apparently intact forest areas do not automatically go hand in hand with a rich wildlife. Forest animals face a wide range of threats, including not only habitat loss but also poaching, invasive species, global warming, and disease. In some regions, particularly in Central Africa, the so-called “empty forest syndrome” is a reality — forests that appear intact at first glance but in which hardly any animals remain. A holistic approach is therefore needed, one that goes beyond mere forest protection in terms of tree cover and reforestation.
