In many countries, the number of animals and plants is declining. Why do you think this is happening? How can this issue be solved?
The accelerating decline of animal and plant populations across most parts of the world has become a pressing ecological crisis, and this essay will examine the core causes of this trend and propose feasible mitigation measures.
Two primary factors drive this biodiversity loss. The first is large-scale habitat destruction caused by human expansion. To feed growing populations and expand urban areas, vast swathes of forests, wetlands and grasslands are cleared for agriculture, infrastructure and housing every year. For example, the Amazon rainforest, home to 10% of the world’s known species, lost over 13,000 square kilometres of tree cover in 2022 alone, displacing and killing countless native species. The second contributing factor is pollution and anthropogenic climate change. Industrial waste, agricultural chemical runoff and plastic pollution poison terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, while rising global temperatures disrupt species’ breeding cycles and food chains. For instance, coral reefs, which support 25% of marine life, have declined by 50% since 1995 due to ocean warming and acidification.
To address this issue, collaborative action from governments and individuals is essential. First, governments should introduce and enforce stricter protective regulations: they can establish more well-managed nature reserves, impose heavy penalties for illegal deforestation and wildlife trade, and subsidise renewable energy development to cut carbon emissions. Costa Rica, for example, reversed 20 years of deforestation by paying local farmers to protect forest areas, doubling its forest cover from 21% in 1983 to 52% in 2021. Second, individuals can contribute by adopting low-carbon lifestyles, reducing single-use product consumption, and supporting environmental conservation charities to amplify collective impact.
In conclusion, biodiversity loss is mainly caused by habitat destruction and human-induced environmental change, and coordinated policy intervention plus individual action can effectively reverse this worrying trend.