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Humans accelerate 1 million species losses as safe habitats are destroyed

Accelerating species losses undermine humanity's perch on the planet because all life depends on rich species diversity.

Whale beaching in Wellington, New Zealand.
Whale beaching in Wellington, New Zealand (AN/Jo Fothergill)

Human actions are causing Earth's natural life support systems to reach a breaking point, threatening 1 million plant and animal species with extinction in a challenge as colossal as the climate crisis.

Devastating human negligence has caused a dire nature emergency for plants and animals large and small, the 132-nation IPBES organization reported on Monday based on the work of 145 wildlife experts from 50 countries over the past three years, with inputs from another 310 contributing authors.

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