The Living Planet Report is the world's leading, science-based analysis, on the health of our planet and the impact of human activity. Humanity's demands exceed the Earth's capacity to sustain us.[1]
The 2018 report found a "decline of 60% in population sizes" of vertebrate species overall from 1970 to 2014. The tropics of South and Central America had an 89% loss compared to 1970.[2] These claims have been criticized by some studies such as the research group led by Brian Leung and including Maria Dornelas.[3]
The 2018 report calls for new goals post-2020 alongside those of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.[2] The 2020 report says systemic changes are necessary to stop the destruction of global wildlife populations, including a complete overhaul of food production and consumption industries, along with making global trade more sustainable and removing deforestation completely from global supply chains.[4]
"Living Planet Index by region" with data from the report
The 2022 report found that vertebrate wildlife populations have declined by an average of almost 70% since 1970, and attributes the loss primarily to agriculture and fishing. The estimate was based on an analysis of 32,000 populations of 5,230 animal species.[5][6]
Editions
The first version of the Living Planet Report was published on 1998, reporting a 30% decline in the "Living Planet Index (LPI)" from 1970 to 1995, a loss of 5% per year, and included forest, freshwater and marine populations.[7] Between 1990 and 1995, the rate of decline had increased to 6% per year.[8]
The 2000 report indicated a 33% decline in LPI as of 1999.[9]
The 2002 report indicated a 37% decline in LPI as of 2000.[10]
The 2004 report indicated a 40% decline in LPI as of 2000, including additional data from grasslands, savannahs, deserts and tundra, not included in previous reports.[11]
The 2006 report indicated a 33% decline in LPI as of 2003.[12]
The 2008 report indicated a 28% decline in LPI as of 2005.[13]
The 2010 report indicated a 28% decline in LPI as of 2007, due to a 60% decline in the tropics despite a 29% increase in the temperate/polar regions.[14]
The 2012 report indicated a 28% decline in LPI as of 2008, due to a 60% decline in the tropics despite a 31% increase in the temperate/polar regions.[15]
The 2014 report indicated a 52% decline in LPI as of 2010, a significant change from prior publications due to changes in methodology to better reflect the relative sizes of species groups across biomes, and this time showed declines in both tropical (-56%) and temperate (-36%) populations.[16]
The 2016 report indicated a 58% decline in LPI as of 2012 and predicted a decline of 67% by 2020.[17]
The 2018 report indicated a 60% decline in LPI as of 2014.[18]
The 2020 report indicated a 68% decline in LPI as of 2016.[19]
The 2022 report indicated a 69% decline in LPI as of 2018, its most comprehensive assessment to date.[20]
The 2024 report indicated a 73% decline in LPI as of 2020, exceeding the prediction made in the 2016 report. The report is based on almost 35,000 populations of 5,495 species.[21]
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