WWF Reports Average 73% Decline in Monitored Wildlife Populations, Highlighting the Need to Transform Food, Energy, and Finance Systems

In October 2026, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) published the Living Planet Report 2026. According to the report, the monitored populations of vertebrate species experienced an average decline of 73% in population size between 1970 and 2022. The report identifies habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation, and climate change as the primary drivers of biodiversity loss. It also argues that these pressures are rooted in structural issues within broader societal systems, particularly those related to food, energy, and finance. WWF states that accelerating the transformation of these systems is essential to achieving a nature-positive world by 2030.