The World Wildlife Fund notes a sharp decline in the population of wild animals in the world. (WWF) in its report released on Thursday. The numbers show a 69% decline from 1970 to 2018 in less than half a century.

According to a Living Planet study that measures the abundance of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians, the average decline in wildlife populations was 69%. The study analyzed the abundance of nearly 32,000 population groups of 5,230 species, the report said.

The largest decline in wildlife has occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the population has declined by 94%. In Africa, wildlife declined by 66%, in Asia and the Pacific by 55%, and in North America by 20%. In Europe and Central Asia, this figure was 18%.

The threat to wildlife, according to WWF, is agriculture, hunting, deforestation, environmental pollution and climate change.

“If we fail to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, climate change is likely to be a major driver of biodiversity loss in the coming decades,” the report says.

“The results of this year’s report are more troubling than ever.” WWF comments in Greece are sounding the alarm.

“Today we are called upon to confront two anthropogenic challenges that are directly related to each other and directly threaten both current and future generations: the climate crisis and the loss of biodiversity,” says Marco Lambertini. CEO of WWF International.

“WWF is deeply concerned about these new data, which show a catastrophic decline in wildlife populations. At the upcoming COP15, leaders have an opportunity to rebuild our relationship with the environment and create the right framework within which to build a healthier and more sustainable future for all through an ambitious global biodiversity deal,” he added.

Panayota Maragou, Environmental Program Manager at WWF Greece, noted that “once again, this year’s Living Planet report clearly and numerically captures the alarming data about what is currently happening on our planet and signals alarm in in the near future, if action is taken. not taken urgently and at different levels to stop the twin crises we are experiencing in biodiversity and climate. The upcoming COP15 will shape the future of our planet, and we hope that this year’s edition of WWF will inspire and mobilize world leaders to be part of this positive change that the environment needs.”