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The collapse of key ecosystems would severely harm the global economy, researchers have warned.
Researchers from UCL’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) and the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter reviewed the likely impacts of “ecosystem tipping points” such as the dieback of the Amazon rainforest, tropical peatland collapse and widespread die-off of coral reefs.
Their report says such events can “reverberate globally”, with effects including reduced food and energy security, and damage to buildings, croplands and infrastructure – with financial costs for households, businesses and governments.
Ecosystem tipping points are not well represented in economic models that aim to quantify the risks of environmental change, meaning financial risks are significantly underestimated and new approaches are needed, the report says.
“Stable natural ecosystems underpin all economic activity,” said Lydia Marsden, from UCL’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. “Pressures on nature from human activity – such as pollution, deforestation and climate change – are increasing the risk of ecosystem tipping points: irreversible changes that can occur rapidly and on a large scale. Such tipping points would compromise the many vital services provided by these ecosystems to the economy. For example, a partial collapse of the Amazon rainforest would reverberate across rainfall patterns globally, affecting sectors from hydropower to agriculture to global shipping, in fundamentally unpredictable and irreversible ways. Preventing these changes from happening should be of utmost importance to any policymaker tasked with preserving economic and financial stability.”
The report is entitled: “Ecosystem tipping points: Understanding risks to the economy and financial system.”
Fewer ducks, geese, swans and wader species are travelling to the UK as milder conditions continue to define northern European winters.
The UK is host to internationally important numbers of wintering waterbirds, and the long-standing Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) and Goose and Swan Monitoring Programme (GSMP) provide essential data that inform decision makers when considering conservation measures for these birds.
With data provided by over 3,800 dedicated volunteers across the UK, the surveys deliver an annual assessment of ducks, geese, swans, waders and other waterbirds residing on, or passing through, our coasts, estuaries, lakes, reservoirs and rivers.
Published today, the 2022/23 WeBS report reveals yet more changes in the fortunes of many of our wildfowl and waders. As winters continue to become milder and damper across much of northern Europe, many species are altering their behaviours in response.
Historically, harsh conditions in northern and eastern Europe would see huge numbers of birds migrating to the relatively mild conditions of a British winter but now, as previously frozen landscapes become increasingly accessible, significant numbers of birds are staying closer to their breeding grounds, in a phenomenon known as short-stopping.
Those that do still make the journey across the North Sea to spend the winter in the UK are often arriving later and leaving earlier, therefore staying with us for much shorter periods. This has become increasingly noticeable in such species as Bewick’s Swan, which has declined by 96% in the last 25 years, while Goldeneye numbers have halved and Dunlin have dropped by a third.
Read the full the 2022/23 WeBS report >
Today’s Defra announcement of a further delay to the planned introduction of a deposit return scheme until October 2027 has been described as a ‘slap in the face for anyone who cares about the state of litter in this country’ by Keep Britain Tidy, which has long campaigned for its introduction.
The charity says the new 2027 date for the introduction of scheme is ‘disastrous’ for the environment
Commenting on the decision, the charity’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: "A deposit return scheme is the unparalleled opportunity this country has to get a grip on its disastrous relationship with litter and waste. No other policy can boost recycling of a product to above 90% and reduce its littering by 85%, all with industry enthusiastically supporting it and agreeing to fund it. This is our chance to tackle the drinks litter that makes up more than 70% of litter by volume in this country at the same time as dramatically improving recycling, and all without leaving the taxpayer out of pocket. Their decision to postpone introduction to October 2027 is nothing short of disastrous for the environment and a slap in the face for anyone who cares about the state of litter in this country. This delay means oceans of bottles and cans will continue to needlessly pile up in bins and continue to be strewn on roadsides and in our green spaces, rather than being recycled. The exclusion of glass is again hugely disappointing. Glass containers start fires and cause harm to people, pets and wildlife. This is why 78% of people want to see it included in a deposit return scheme. We are pleased to see that Wales look determined to pursue their best-in-class scheme and encourage the rest of the UK to follow suit. We estimate that between now and October 2027 an eye watering 25 billion bottles and cans will be littered, buried or burned. So Keep Britain Tidy is urgently calling on any future government to make this the number one priority in the war against our spiralling waste crisis.”
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