Latest State of Nature Report reveals a continuing downward trend

State of Nature 2019 now published

Three years on from the State of Nature 2016, this latest review of the biggest threats to nature in the UK, based on changes in key indicators, shows a continuing downward trend.

The report reveals that for UK priority species, those of greatest conservation concern, more have shown strong or moderate decreases in abundance (41%) than increases (26%) since 1970.

This picture is repeated over the short term with 44% of species having strong or moderate decreases in abundance, 36% with increases and 21% with little change over the last 10 years (2006-2016).

Marine biodiversity in the UK is monitored and assessed under an overarching framework called the UK Marine Strategy.

The State of Nature report highlights the complex and interactive drivers affecting marine ecosystems.

As well as large-scale climate change trends, fishing continues to damage the seafloor and alter the size composition of fish communities, although recovery in abundance is shown for many fish species from historical over-exploitation. Noise and plastic pollution are also emerging threats.