World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launches the 15th edition of its flagship biennial publication, the Living Planet Report, a comprehensive study on global biodiversity trends and the planet's health.

The planet has reached its most advanced level of degradation in the Anthropocene, with a 73% decline in wildlife populations in just 50 years. This marks the beginning of the sixth mass extinction of biodiversity, which humans caused. In this context, and considering the climate crisis, the next five years will be crucial for the future of life on Earth, depending on global decisions, experts at WWF warn.

In Romania, excessive pesticide use, intensive agriculture, poaching, the development of unsustainable infrastructure without considering long-term environmental impacts, illegal logging over time, and plastic pollution, compounded by decisions that prioritize political interests over science-based recommendations - such as the recently adopted law allowing trophy hunting of bears -are seriously harming species and the health of ecosystems.

How does pollution affect the Danube Delta?

While global deforestation intensified in 2023, despite the worldwide commitment to halt deforestation and forest degradation by the end of the decade, Romania's fight is focused on preserving what still exists: High Conservation Value (HCV) areas. Romania has pledged to protect 10% of its total forested area and is currently in the process of identifying these zones. Additionally, WWF advocates for a genuine reform of the system aimed at combating illegal logging and promoting responsible use of wood resources. The organization is actively involved in the development of the new Forestry Code, which is now under parliamentary debate.

In the past 100 years, authorities have diked and drained vast areas of the Danube floodplain and Delta, resulting in the loss of 85% of the floodplain and one-third of the Delta. The consequences of these actions, exacerbated by climate change, are visible: more catastrophic flood events, harsher impacts from droughts, desertification, and increased poverty in Danube communities.

Fortunately, these phenomena remain reversible. Through large-scale ecological restoration projects, dialogue with all stakeholders in the riparian areas, consideration of scientific arguments, and halting the approval of new hydropower projects that harm rivers, Romanian authorities can ensure that water - and with it, life and prosperity - returns to the floodplain areas and the Danube Delta.

Large infrastructure projects on the Danube are severely jeopardizing the ecological balance, casting doubt on WWF Romania's efforts to restore sturgeon populations. The organization's programs aim to release 900,000 sturgeon juveniles over the next four years.

How does the degradation the habitats affect us?

The Living Planet Index, calculated by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), assesses the state of the planet by analyzing nearly 35,000 population trends across 5,495 species between 1970 and 2020. The decline in wildlife populations serves as an early warning sign of heightened extinction risks and the potential loss of natural ecosystems. The sharpest declines have been recorded in freshwater ecosystems (-85%), followed by terrestrial (-69%) and marine (-56%) ecosystems.

When ecosystems are degraded, they stop providing humanity with essential services such as clean air, water, healthy soils for food production, and carbon storage for climate stability—or they provide these benefits only partially, depending on the level of degradation. A critical tipping point occurs when the cumulative impacts within an ecosystem reach a threshold that triggers a significant, often sudden, and potentially irreversible change.

Habitat loss and degradation are primarily driven by the global food system, followed by overexploitation, linear transport infrastructure development, invasive species, and diseases. Climate change poses an additional threat, particularly to wildlife populations, with Latin America and the Caribbean experiencing an average decline of 95%. Wildlife populations in Europe and Central Asia have seen a 35% decrease, while North America recorded a 39% decline.

“The crises related to biodiversity loss and climate change are pushing wildlife and ecosystems beyond their limits, reaching dangerous global tipping points that threaten to degrade Earth's life-support systems and destabilize societies. The catastrophic consequences of losing some of the most valuable ecosystems, such as the Amazon rainforest and coral reefs, would be felt by people and nature worldwide”, said Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of WWF International.

The index also shows that some wildlife populations have stabilized or increased due to effective conservation efforts. For example, the population of mountain gorillas increased by about 3% annually between 2010 and 2016 in the Virunga Massif in East Africa, and the population of European bison grew from 12 to 6,800 individuals between 1950 and 2020 across 10 European countries. Most of these bison live in protected areas, and the species is protected throughout Europe. Since 2014, WWF-Romania (World Wide Fund for Nature) has led efforts to reintroduce the species in the Southern Carpathians. Now, 10 years after the first release, the number of free-roaming bison in the wild in the Țarcu Mountains has surpassed 200 individuals. In the fall of 2023, a few specimens naturally migrated to the Domogled Cerna Valley National Park, a clear sign that the species has adapted and integrated into the ecosystem. However, isolated successes are not enough

Energy systems and food production are the primary drivers of climate change and biodiversity loss. Fossil fuels account for about 70% of greenhouse gas emissions, while food production is the leading cause of habitat loss - using 70% of water resources and responsible for more than a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the 2024 Living Planet Index data.

"Romania is at a critical juncture in nature conservation. Although we are facing unprecedented challenges, from illegal logging to plastic pollution and the recent trophy hunting law for bears, we are determined to protect and restore, where necessary, our unique ecosystems and species. Restoring rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands represents essential solutions for combating floods and droughts, problems that are becoming increasingly frequent due to climate change. Through coordinated actions and investments in nature-based solutions, we can create a Romania where biodiversity thrives, and human communities directly benefit from a healthy environment", said Barbara Bendandi, Conservation Director at WWF-Romania.

What solutions are there for the future of the planet, nature, and humanity?

Nature-based solutions (NbS) harness the power of nature to restore natural ecosystems, biodiversity, and ensure human well-being, addressing major societal challenges, including climate change. For example, regenerative agriculture and the restoration of forests, wetlands, and mangroves can enhance carbon sequestration, improve water and air quality, increase food and water security, and help protect against erosion and flooding.

More countries are expected to present revised national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAP) aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework before the COP16 conference in Cali, Colombia. WWF urges all countries to ensure that these plans and actions are ambitious and comprehensive, while also stimulating biodiversity funding.

Following the Paris Agreement, countries must submit new climate plans (Nationally Determined Contributions - NDCs) in 2025, outlining how they will contribute to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. These plans should include steps for the equitable phase-out of fossil fuels and the transformation of food systems. At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, WWF hopes that an agreement will be reached on a new ambitious climate finance goal that addresses the mitigation and adaptation needs of developing countries.

Additionally, EU member states must present an energy and climate plan aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. Although the deadline for submitting the plan was June 30, 2024, Romania has yet to finalize this plan.