GUWAHATI: The average size of monitored wildlife populations worldwide declined by 73 per cent between 1970 and 2022, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) Living Planet Report 2026, which highlighted the need for stronger conservation and wider environmental reforms.
Released on October 8, the report drew on the Living Planet Index, compiled by the Zoological Society of London using 35,803 population trends covering 5,790 vertebrate species. Freshwater populations recorded the steepest decline at 85 per cent, followed by terrestrial populations at 69 per cent and marine populations at 59 per cent.
Habitat loss and degradation emerged as the leading threats, followed by overexploitation, climate change, pollution, invasive species and disease. However, the report noted that half of the monitored populations remained stable or increased, demonstrating the potential of targeted conservation efforts.
The report highlighted global tiger recovery, with numbers rising from around 3,200 in 2010 to approximately 5,700 in 2025. India recorded 3,682 tigers in its 2022 estimation. Other positive trends included more than 3,300 greater one-horned rhinoceroses, 13,874 common leopards and an increase in Asiatic lions from 674 in 2020 to 891 in 2025.
India’s first range-wide river dolphin assessment, conducted during 2021-23 across 8,507 km of 28 rivers, estimated the Ganges river dolphin population at 6,324.
The report called for changes to food production, energy use and financial systems to address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss. It noted that India had achieved its target of 50 per cent non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity capacity five years ahead of the 2030 deadline. Non-fossil sources accounted for 54.88 per cent of installed capacity as of August 31, 2026, while the country’s target for 2035 stood at 60 per cent.
In agriculture, WWF-India supported more than 25,000 farmers in adopting regenerative practices. Assessments for the 2021-25 cropping period recorded a 34 per cent increase in soil organic carbon, 57 per cent lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional farms and the sequestration of 93,781 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Participating farmers also recorded an average 15 per cent increase in net income.
The report identified an annual biodiversity financing gap of US$1.3 trillion and called for greater recognition of nature-related risks and an end to funding environmentally harmful activities, a press release said.
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