11/10/24 (Agence Europe) – TheLiving Planet Report (LPR) 2024, published by the WWF on Thursday 10 October, states that the average size of monitored wild vertebrate populations has declined by 73% in 50 years (1970-2020). 10 days before the start of COP16 on biodiversity (see EUROPE 13496/1), the NGO points out that freshwater populations are predominantly affected by this decline (-85%), due to the pressure exerted by human activities on their habitats. Global warming is presented as the main future threat, although it is already causing mass mortality and species extinction. The WWF regrets that, “despite this”, the European Commission has proposed to delay the implementation of the regulation on deforestation (see EUROPE 13495/1) and calls on governments to make the most of COP16 to speed up the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal global agreement. (FS)