D Thomas/BirdLife Without immediate action the degradation of ecosystem services will grow significantly worse during the first half of this century Zoom In

Global science panel calls for action on ecosystems

30-03-2005

A study by 1360 scientists from 95 countries finds that around two-thirds of the ecosystem services that support life on Earth are being degraded or used unsustainably. This is causing substantial and largely irreversible losses in the diversity of life, and threatening the livelihoods and wellbeing of future generations.

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment warns that without immediate action by government, business and civil society, the degradation of ecosystem services will grow significantly worse during the first half of this century.

The four-year assessment was designed by a partnership of UN agencies, international scientific organisations and development agencies, with guidance from the private sector and civil society groups. BirdLife scientists are among the authors and have contributed extensive data on birds to the report.

The assessment is recognised by governments as a mechanism to meet the assessment needs of four international environmental treaties - the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and the Convention on Migratory Species.

Although evidence remains incomplete, there is enough for the experts to warn that ongoing degradation of 15 of the 24 ecosystem services examined is increasing the likelihood of abrupt changes that will seriously affect human wellbeing. This includes the emergence of new diseases, sudden changes in water quality, creation of "dead zones" along the coasts, the collapse of fisheries, and shifts in regional climate.

The MEA states that with significant policy and institutional changes, it would be possible to reverse ecosystem degradation, while meeting the increasing demands of a growing human population with higher expectations of quality of life.

"The over-riding conclusion of this assessment is that it lies within the power of human societies to ease the strains we are putting on the nature services of the planet, while continuing to use them to bring better living standards to all," said the MEA board of directors, co-chaired by the chief scientist of the World Bank and the director of the United Nations University's Institute of Advanced Studies."Achieving this, however, will require radical changes in the way nature is treated at every level of decision-making, and new ways of cooperation between government, business and civil society."

The MEA’ s findings have been backed by eight of the world’s leading conservation organisations, including BirdLife International. "The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment demonstrates that we have not spent enough time, effort or resources conserving the things we instinctively value, and which are intrinsically linked to our quality of life, as well as being essential for generating economic wealth," said Dr Michael Rands, Executive Director of BirdLife International. "We are prepared to spend vast sums of money on flawed subsidies such as the European Common Agricultural Policy - now we need to make substantial investments in real, workable schemes that will ensure that ecosystems are sustained. This report shows us how we can do it."