One million species close to extinction: IPBES’s upcoming report expected to conclude

One million species face the risk of extinction because of the increasing loss of clean air, forest cover and drinkable water, among other factors — that is the expected conclusion of a report to be released by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The report, which will be released on May 6, is the first-ever on human activity-related impact on earth’s biodiversity.

Prepared by 150 leading international experts from 50 countries, with additional contributions from a further 250 experts, the Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services will inform better policies and actions in the coming decade. The report will be discussed, finalised and considered for approval at the seventh session of the IPBES Plenary, to be held from April 29 – May 6, 2019.

Greenland is melting six times faster: Study

The ice-sheet of the world’s largest island, Greenland, is melting six times faster than in the 1980s, which has caused sea levels to rise by over half an inch since 1972, a new study has revealed. If all of Greenland’s glaciers melted, the sea level would rise about 20 feet, the study says. Greenland dumped about 51 billion tonnes of ice into the ocean between 1980 to 1990, compared to 286 billion tonnes between 2010 and 2018, the report says.

New Zealand’s biodiversity in dire straits: Report

New Zealand, a country that is known for its picturesque landscapes, is in deep trouble environmentally, according to a new report, Environment Aotearoa. Calling New Zealand ‘one of the most invaded countries in the world’, the report provides some shocking statistics such as 75 of its animal and plant species have gone extinct after human settlement. Not just that, the report states that 90% of its seabirds and 80% of its shorebirds are threatened with or were on the brink of extinction.

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