Living Planet Report 2012

The Living Planet Report 2012 documents a significant global decline in biodiversity and a state of 'ecological overshoot,' where human consumption exceeds the Earth's regenerative capacity. It highlights the disproportionate impact of high-income countries on natural resources and proposes a framework for preserving natural capital through better production, wiser consumption, and equitable governance.

• Global biodiversity health declined by approximately 28 to 30 per cent between 1970 and 2008. This decline is most severe in the tropics, where the Living Planet Index fell by more than 60 per cent, while the temperate index increased by 31 per cent over the same period.
• Humanity is currently in a state of 'ecological overshoot,' consuming resources at a rate that requires 1.5 years for the Earth to regenerate what is used in a single year. Projections suggest that by 2030, the annual demand will require the equivalent of two planets.
• The carbon footprint is the largest component of the Ecological Footprint, accounting for 55 per cent. Deforestation and forest degradation contribute up to 20 per cent of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions, making them the third-largest source after oil and coal.
• There is a stark disparity in resource demand and biodiversity impact based on income levels. High-income countries have an Ecological Footprint five times larger than low-income countries, and while the Living Planet Index increased by 7 per cent in high-income nations, it declined by 60 per cent in low-income countries.
• Marine ecosystems are under severe pressure from overexploitation. Global fish catch increased nearly five-fold from 19 million tonnes in 1950 to 87 million tonnes in 2005, resulting in the exploitation of one-third of the world's oceans and two-thirds of continental shelves.
• Freshwater ecosystems are heavily impacted by infrastructure development. Of the approximately 177 rivers longer than 1,000km, only about one-third remain free-flowing and without dams on their main channel.

APA

WWF International (2012). Living Planet Report 2012. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/846/7gdv19hzgn_Living_Planet_Report_2012_Executive_Summary.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. Living Planet Report 2012. 2012. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/846/7gdv19hzgn_Living_Planet_Report_2012_Executive_Summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Living Planet Report 2012 |date=2012 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/846/7gdv19hzgn_Living_Planet_Report_2012_Executive_Summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2012living, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Living Planet Report 2012}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2012}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/846/7gdv19hzgn_Living_Planet_Report_2012_Executive_Summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }