In response to the WWF Living Planet Report’s alarming findings on wildlife decline, our CEO, Gavin Bruce, highlights the urgent need for global action and how International Animal Rescue is addressing these challenges. From empowering local communities to restoring critical ecosystems, IAR is committed to reversing biodiversity loss and protecting precious habitats. While the scale of the problem may seem overwhelming, every one of us can make a difference through the choices we make every day.
Gavin Bruce:
The release of the latest Living Planet Report is a stark reminder that the world is in a perilous place. The decline in wildlife populations over the past 50 years is both shocking and serious. Some of the effects of this loss are obvious. However, we are losing species, some of which have not even been identified, at such a rate that the impact on the health of the planet and humanity is unknown.
At the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in 2022 (COP15) global leaders signed up to ambitious biodiversity targets contained in the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The next conference will be held later this month (October 2024) in Colombia. It will be a chance to do a health check to see what progress has been made since the GBF was agreed nearly two years ago.
It is absolutely beholden on governments, banks and corporations to ensure that the right biodiversity protections are in place – that supply chains are monitored and evaluated for environmental sustainability, that funding (investments, loan finance and public subsidies) is targeted towards nature positive rather than biodiversity depleting activities and the regulatory framework (nationally and internationally) is tightened up to prevent products originating from illegal or environmentally destructive sources entering the imported supply chain.
It’s easy to think that these issues are so vast that it’s impossible to do anything about them: this is not the case. There is great work being done around the world to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. At International Animal Rescue (IAR), we understand the interrelationship between biodiversity loss, climate change and human wellbeing and our holistic conservation projects aim to deliver positive outcomes for both people and nature.
Working on orangutan conservation alongside YIARI, our partner in Indonesia, community-led grass root projects have been developed and implemented. Local communities are empowered through sustainable livelihoods, reducing their reliance on illegal activities and fostering a long-term commitment to environmental stewardship. Enhanced fire prevention strategies protect both ecosystems and agricultural lands from the devastating effects of wildfires, while the restoration of peatland forests enables them to serve once more as vital carbon sinks, contributing to global climate change efforts. These sustainable livelihoods also improve the health and well-being of people by breaking the cycle of harmful, environmentally destructive practices, thus delivering positive outcomes for nature.
The changes being made by these small rural communities are having a big impact – they are protecting forests and the biodiversity that thrives within them. But we can all make a difference. The problems may seem far away but every choice we make has an impact on them. Every time we buy something, reduce waste, or support conservation, we’re taking a stand for our planet. Small actions create ripples, and together, we can make peace with nature.
Real change starts with us all. And our time to act is right now.
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See the difference we’re making by read our Impact Report here.