Thread by @ScientistsX

Nature is in crisis, nationally & internationally. @ScientistsX took to the streets to share some hard, scientific facts about the state of biodiversity decline & loss, and the failure of governments, including @DefraGovUK & the UK government, to address this. #TheBigOne

1/19

A global, intergovernmental assessment of biodiversity and ecosystems concludes that up to 1 million animal & plant species are now threatened with extinction, many within decades. @IPBES (2019) ipbes.net/news/Media-Rel…

#TheBigOne
2/19

Recent rates of extinction of plants and animals are running hundreds to thousands of times faster than in pre-human times and are growing. The Royal Society @royalsociety (2021) royalsociety.org/topics-policy/…

#TheBigOne
3/19

In 2011, world governments adopted 20 specific biodiversity targets for 2020 (the Aichi targets), ranging from protecting coral reefs to reducing pollution. None were achieved at a global level. @newscientist (2020); @guardian (2020) theguardian.com/environment/20…

#TheBigOne
4/19

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, ranking 228th out of the 240 countries in the Biodiversity Intactness Index. bbc.co.uk/newsround/5886… @AndyPurvisNHM

#TheBigOne
5/19

41% of our plant and animal species have declined in abundance since 1970, and this decline is accelerating. The State of Nature Partnership (2019) nbn.org.uk/wp-content/upl…

#TheBigOne
6/19

The abundance of farmland birds (such as corn buntings, starlings and turtle doves) has halved due to changes in farming practices. @DefraGovUK (2021) @_BTO bto.org/our-science/pu…

#TheBigOne
7/19

1225 ancient woodlands are under threat - 981 have been permanently lost or damaged since 2000. @WoodlandTrust (2021) woodlandtrust.org.uk/media/49731/st…

#TheBigOne
8/19

We’ve allowed the loss of 90% of our wetland habitats in the last 100 years. @WildlifeTrusts (2018-22) wildlifetrusts.org/water

#TheBigOne
9/19

All English rivers are polluted, only 14% are rated healthy for animals and plants. @BBCScienceNews (2020) bbc.co.uk/news/science-e…

#TheBigOne
10/19

6 of the 10 most economically important fish stocks in the UK are overfished or  at a critical level @oceana (2021) europe.oceana.org/press-releases…

#TheBigOne
11/19

The Government has only protected 5% of England, against its own target of 30% by 2030 @Natures_Voice (2021) community.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/b/rspb…

#TheBigOne
12/19

The UK has failed to reach 17 out of 20 UN biodiversity targets agreed on 10 years ago and in six areas the UK has actually gone backwards. @RSPBScience (2020) rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb…

#TheBigOne
13/19

@DefraGovUK continues to approve the use of specific pesticides widely banned because of their impact on bees, against the advice of their own scientific advisors. @PesticideCollab (2022) pesticidecollaboration.org/press-release-…

#TheBigOne
14/19

The Government’s EU Retained Law Act will scrap over 570 environmental protection laws unless new legislation replaces these in the next year. @WCL_News (2022) wcl.org.uk/nature-campaig…

#TheBigOne
15/19

Funding provided by the government’s Environment Agency (EA) has been cut by 50% over the past decade. Public sector investment in conservation has fallen in real terms by 33% in five years. @Independent (2022)independent.co.uk/climate-change…

#TheBigOne
16/19

More than 90% of Britain’s offshore marine protected areas are still being bottom-trawled and dredged. @guardian (2022) theguardian.com/environment/20…

#TheBigOne
17/19

The government has only met 4 out of 15 of the UK Marine Strategy’s indicators of healthy oceans. @WCL_News (2019) wcl.org.uk/sos-for-sea-li…

#TheBigOne
18/19

If governments act URGENTLY to protect and restore ecosystems, as they have promised, nature will recover. Communities around the world are coming together to protect and restore nature. They need help and support.

#NoNatureNoFuture
#TheBigOne
19/19