Jakarta: The latest report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) shows that the global shortage of animals and plants due to agricultural activities is at an alarming stage. Deforestation is spiraling out of control and the quality of the environment is deteriorating in order to meet food and other needs.

The impact of the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources is the main factor behind the rapid pace of this extinction. According to the report, currently, one in five people in the world are still heavily dependent on some 50,000 species of wild animals, plants and fungi for food, medicine, cosmetics, tourism, fuel, income and other purposes.

Not to mention the poaching due to the rampant wildlife trade each year which now reaches a value of 23 billion dollars. Climate change and the growing demand for wild animals and plants will drive more species to extinction.

“We can certainly imagine that if most of the animals and plants that humans need are extinct, this will of course have a direct impact on human life because it threatens global food security,” said the University professor. IPB of the Faculty of Animal Sciences, Ronny. Rachman Noor, in a written statement, Friday, July 15, 2022.

Ronny regretted that in practice fishing, hunting and logging patterns are practiced in an unsustainable way, thus threatening the existence of these animals and plants. He said this massive exploitation of nature leads to the overfishing of around 35% of wild fish.

The same is true for animal and tree species. About 1,300 species of animals and 10% of wild trees are now threatened with extinction. Conservation experts estimate that over the next few decades around one million species of plants and animals could become extinct.

“Therefore, efforts to slow the rate of extinction must focus on sustainable fishing, hunting, and logging patterns. So that the use of these natural resources does not upset the balance of nature,” Ronny said.

He said the results of a meeting of 139 countries in Bonn, Germany, some time ago as part of IPBES activities, concluded that the sustainable use of wildlife is very important for humans. and nature. It is necessary to develop an action plan so that human subsistence activities are carried out in a more sustainable way without destroying biodiversity and food security.

“This action plan also explains the importance of law enforcement for perpetrators of illegal fishing and wildlife trade. Therefore, there is also a need to improve forest management and certification to preserve fauna and flora,” he explained.

Ronny said the role of indigenous peoples for hundreds of years in the preservation and use of natural resources was an important key in suppressing the rate of extinction of animals and flora. The government must recognize the rights of indigenous peoples to the protection of lands and forests.

“The control of the exploitation of natural resources must be carried out immediately in order to be able to anticipate the growing demand for products which are increasing, climate change is worsening, technological advances which are driving hunting and fishing methods more and more sophisticated,” he said. .

The global study conducted by IPBES 2019 has opened the eyes of the global community to this phenomenon of extinction. He said a follow-up study in Montreal, Canada, later this year should also produce policies that can encourage the sustainable use of resources with the aim of reducing the rate of biodiversity loss.

(REEN)