Over 1 in 3 tree species face extinction risk: Report
A decade-long global analysis has found that more than one in three tree species are on the verge of extinction. The study, conducted for the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List, was presented at the United Nations biodiversity conference in Cali, Colombia. Out of 47,282 assessed tree species, at least 16,425 are threatened with extinction, it found. This exceeds the combined total of endangered birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Climate change and deforestation major threats to trees
The study flagged climate change, especially planet-warming fossil fuel pollution, as a major threat to trees. Trees are crucial for absorbing carbon pollution from the atmosphere, and losing them could exacerbate the climate crisis. Other major threats include deforestation for urban development and agriculture. Invasive species, diseases, sea level rise due to global warming, and intense storms were also cited as factors endangering tree species worldwide.
Tree loss threatens ecosystems and species
IUCN Director General Grethel Aguilar highlighted the far-reaching consequences of tree loss on global ecosystems. "The loss of trees directly threatens thousands of other species," Aguilar said at a press briefing in Colombia. She stressed that trees are critical for providing oxygen, food, and shelter for wildlife. They also provide medicine and sustenance to Indigenous peoples.
Islands and South America most affected by tree extinction
The study emphasized that islands such as Fiji, Cuba, and Madagascar have the highest proportion of threatened trees. In South America, which hosts the Amazon Rainforest, 3,356 out of 13,668 assessed tree species are at risk from deforestation for farming and ranching. The IUCN's Red List is a detailed global resource for information on threatened species and extinction risks. It classifies species based on population size, distribution, habitat loss and threats such as climate change.
Threatened status calls for urgent conservation efforts
The threatened status of more than one in three tree species shows a dire risk of extinction. This discovery demands immediate conservation efforts by governments and organizations across the globe. Aguilar emphasized the need to start these efforts with trees, asking, "Can you imagine a planet without trees?" She called for immediate action to reverse this trend and save these vital resources from extinction.
