Causes

The world is losing species and biodiversity at an unprecedented rate.

The causes go deep and the losses are driven by a complex array of social, economic, political and biological factors at different levels.

Immediate causes such as over-harvesting, pollution and habitat change have been well studied.

But the socioeconomic factors driving people to degrade their environment are less well understood.

Effects

Estimates of global species diversity vary enormously because it is so difficult to guess how many species there are in virtually unexplored habitats such as the deep sea and untouched rain forest areas.

Global species estimates range from 2 million to 100 million species. Ten million is probably nearer the mark.

Only 1.4 million species have been named. Of these, approximately 250,000 are plants and 750,000 are insects.

Predictors of future species losses calculate that a quarter of all species on earth are likely to be extinct, or on the way to extinction within 30 years.

It has been predicted that within 100 years, three quarters of all species will either be extinct, or in populations so small that they can be described as "the living dead".

Solutions

• Protect endangered species.

• Protect wildlife habitats.

• Preserve and conserve wetlands.

• Establish protected conservation areas.

• Regulate land development.

• Restore selected areas back to their natural functions.

• Promote sustainable development.