WWF report: Living Planet Index down 73% in about 50 years, freshwater worst hit
In short
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released a report on the 8th saying its Living Planet Index, a measure of the richness of biodiversity on Earth, fell 73% in the roughly 50 years since 1970. Freshwater ecosystems fell 85% over the 52 years to 2022, land 69% and oceans 59%. WWF called for a transformation of industries and systems that damage the natural environment, while noting that some species, such as bluefin tuna and sea turtles, have recovered through conservation efforts.
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The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) announced on the 8th a report finding that the Living Planet Index, which indicates the richness of biodiversity on Earth, has fallen 73% in the roughly 50 years since 1970, with the numbers and kinds of various organisms greatly reduced. WWF said a transformation of industries and systems that damage the natural environment is needed. At the same time, some species, such as bluefin tuna and sea turtles, showed population recovery through conservation activities. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Biodiversity is a concept expressing the richness of a wide variety of living things and the ecosystems that link them. The index was calculated by analysing how 35,800 populations of 5,790 vertebrate species, including mammals, reptiles and birds, have changed since 1970. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Freshwater ecosystems, which are easily affected by dams and hydroelectric plants, were the most severe, falling 85% over the 52 years to 2022. Land ecosystems fell 69% and oceans 59%. By region, Latin America and the Caribbean had the largest decline at 95%, followed by Africa at 80% and the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, at 49%. The report explained that loss and degradation of wildlife habitat is the biggest factor affecting populations; Nikkei reported that overexploitation, global warming and pollution are also threats. [ 1 , 2 ]
According to Nikkei, Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna had declined sharply from years of overfishing but were said to have 'escaped serious crisis' through efforts by fishing industry participants and consumers. The green sea turtle, previously listed as threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, was revised to 'least concern' in 2025. [ 2 ]
Nikkei also reported that the report says habitat conservation alone cannot stop the losses, and that addressing structural causes is essential, including the burning of fossil fuels that drives warming and food production that leads to habitat destruction. At the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in 2022, countries adopted a 2030 international target stating they would 'take urgent action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss to put nature on a path to recovery'. [ 2 ]
Why it matters
The report attributes the decline mainly to the loss and degradation of wildlife habitat, and says protecting habitat alone cannot stop the losses, pointing to fossil fuel burning and food production as structural causes that must be addressed. It comes against the 2030 international target adopted at COP15 in 2022 to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, recorded a 49% decline.
Key facts
- WWF released the report on the 8th; the Living Planet Index fell 73% in the roughly 50 years since 1970. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The index analyses changes since 1970 in 35,800 populations of 5,790 vertebrate species, including mammals, reptiles and birds. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Freshwater ecosystems, which are vulnerable to dams and hydroelectric plants, fell 85% over the 52 years to 2022; land fell 69% and oceans 59%. [ 1 , 2 ]
- By region, Latin America and the Caribbean saw the largest decline at 95%, followed by Africa at 80% and Asia-Pacific, including Japan, at 49%. [ 1 , 2 ]
- WWF said loss and degradation of wildlife habitat is the biggest factor affecting populations; Nikkei reported it also named overexploitation, global warming and pollution as threats. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Atlantic and Pacific bluefin tuna, which had declined sharply from overfishing, were said to have escaped serious crisis through efforts by the fishing industry and consumers, and the green sea turtle was reclassified as 'least concern' on the IUCN Red List in 2025. [ 2 ]
- WWF said a transformation of industries and systems that damage the natural environment is needed. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- WWF released a report on the 8th saying the Living Planet Index fell 73% in about 50 years since 1970. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Freshwater ecosystems fell 85% over 52 years to 2022, land 69% and oceans 59%. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Regional declines were 95% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 80% in Africa and 49% in Asia-Pacific including Japan. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Some species, such as bluefin tuna and sea turtles, have shown population recovery through conservation efforts. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- The specific recovery details for bluefin tuna and the green sea turtle's 2025 Red List reclassification Reported only by Nikkei; Tokyo Shimbun and Sankei mention the recoveries only in general terms.
- The report's statement that habitat conservation alone cannot stop losses and that fossil fuel burning and food production must be addressed Reported only by Nikkei.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Tokyo Shimbun reports WWF's release on the 8th of a report finding the Living Planet Index down 73% since 1970. [ 1 ]
- Nikkei reports the findings with details on species recoveries and the report's call to address fossil fuels and food production. [ 2 ]
- Sankei reports the 73% decline and the recovery of bluefin tuna and sea turtles on the 9th. [ 3 ]