NPR

1 Million Animal And Plant Species Are At Risk Of Extinction, U.N. Report Says

"Protecting biodiversity amounts to protecting humanity," says UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, who warns that species are being lost at an alarming rate.
"Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history," a U.N. panel says, reporting that around 1 million species are currently at risk. Here, an endangered hawksbill turtle swims in a Singapore aquarium in 2017.

Up to 1 million of the estimated 8 million plant and animal species on Earth are at risk of extinction — many of them within decades — according to scientists and researchers who produced a sweeping U.N. report on how humanity's burgeoning growth is putting the world's biodiversity at perilous risk.

Some of the report's findings might not seem new to those who have followed stories of how humans have affected the environment, from to the and other contaminants in water. But its authors say the assessment is the most accurate and comprehensive review yet of the damage people are inflicting on the planet.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min readWorld
China Launches A New Crew To Its Space Station, Advancing Toward Lunar Mission
Three astronauts will spend six months on China's space station. Some experts worry China's ambitious space program could pose a threat to U.S. space superiority and military effectiveness.
NPR5 min readFinance & Money Management
Housing Experts Say There Just Aren't Enough Homes In The U.S.
The United States is millions of homes short of demand, and lacks enough affordable housing units. And many Americans feel like housing costs are eating up too much of their take-home pay.
NPR4 min readInternational Relations
An American Hostage Is Seen Alive For The First Time Since Oct. 7 In A Hamas Video
Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who turned 24 last month while in captivity, has spent more than 200 days in captivity. His left arm was partially blown off by a grenade during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7.

Related Books & Audiobooks