What is the sixth mass extinction and what can we do about it?

The document asserts that Earth is experiencing a sixth mass extinction driven by human activities, specifically unsustainable land, water, and energy use, and climate change. It highlights that the current extinction rate is 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than natural rates, threatening essential ecological functions like climate stability and food production. To combat this, the text advocates for adhering to the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Agreement, and the America the Beautiful initiative, alongside grassroots consumer and political pressure.

• The sixth mass extinction is caused by human activity, primarily through climate change and the unsustainable use of energy, water, and land. Agriculture is a major driver, accounting for 90% of global deforestation and 70% of freshwater use, while 40% of all land has been converted for food production.
• Current species extinction rates are estimated to be between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than natural rates. This acceleration threatens critical ecological functions that support human life, including productive fisheries, farmland, predictable precipitation patterns, and a stable climate.
• Biodiversity loss creates a systemic risk where the decline of one species impacts others and degrades the ecosystem services humans rely on, such as healthy soils, clean water, and clean air.
• Mitigating the extinction crisis requires a combination of international agreements and national initiatives, including limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius via the Paris Agreement, conserving 30% of US lands and waters by 2030 through the America the Beautiful initiative, and the global goal of conserving 30% of lands, inland waters, and oceans under the Kunming-Montreal Agreement.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). What is the sixth mass extinction and what can we do about it? https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/what-is-the-sixth-mass-extinction-and-what-can-we-do-about-it/

Chicago

WWF International. What is the sixth mass extinction and what can we do about it? n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/what-is-the-sixth-mass-extinction-and-what-can-we-do-about-it/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=What is the sixth mass extinction and what can we do about it? |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/what-is-the-sixth-mass-extinction-and-what-can-we-do-about-it/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndwhat, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{What is the sixth mass extinction and what can we do about it?}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/what-is-the-sixth-mass-extinction-and-what-can-we-do-about-it/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }