Obsession with growth is destroying nature, 150 countries warn

⭐ Join our community and access the best we offer!

illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on POLITICO or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: More than 150 countries, including China, India, and EU members, have endorsed a report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) 
• The report, presented at the IPBES summit in Manchester, warns economic growth, as measured by GDP, is a major driver of biodiversity loss
• It urges a shift away from growth-centric policies to prevent further harm to ecosystems and future prosperity

🔭 The context: The IPBES report highlights that one-eighth of the world’s species face extinction, with 75% of Earth’s land significantly altered by human activities
• It criticizes current economic models, which fail to price in the value of biodiversity, such as climate regulation, pollination, and pollution filtration
• The report stresses that businesses and policymakers must work together to implement transformative changes or risk exacerbating global ecological crises

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Unchecked growth is depleting the planet’s natural resources, threatening the very systems that sustain life on Earth
• Biodiversity is crucial for ecosystem services, and its loss undermines climate resilience, food security, and human health
• The IPBES report calls for systemic changes in business incentives, regulatory frameworks, and consumption patterns to protect nature and ensure long-term human prosperity

⏭️ What's next: The report arrives amid increasing global tensions, with the European Union advancing a deregulatory agenda that may weaken environmental protections
• Meanwhile, the U.S. has announced its withdrawal from IPBES, further isolating it from international efforts to address biodiversity loss
• IPBES urges governments to take evidence-based decisions to avert environmental collapse

💬 One quote: “Businesses and other key actors can either lead the way towards a more sustainable global economy or ultimately risk extinction,” said Matt Jones, IPBES co-chair

📈 One stat: An estimated 75% of the Earth’s land has been significantly altered by human activities, contributing to widespread biodiversity loss

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance — carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies

Click for more news covering the latest on nature