A recent report released by the United Nations reveals that the earth&rsquos biodiversity is in danger. Over 1 million species are facing the threat of extinction by humans, of the existing 8 million that exist on earth. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has created the report, the most comprehensive of its kind. 

The landmark report has been compiled by 145 experts from 50 countries over the past three years, and contributed to by 310 writers. It analyses the changes over 50 years, and the relationship between economic pathways and impacts on nature. 

The findings show that around a million plants and animals are threatened with extinction in the coming decades.  IPBES Chair, Sir Robert Watson said,  &ldquoThe overwhelming evidence of the IPBES Global Assessment, from a wide range of different fields of knowledge, presents an ominous picture.&rdquo He added, &ldquoWe are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide.&rdquo

What are some of the causes of our rapidly deteriorating biodiversity The report notes that the culprits are the changes in land and sea use, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution and invasive alien species. 

It isn&rsquot all bad news, however. The report also talks about how it isn&rsquot too late to make a difference. Watson adds, &ldquoThrough &lsquotransformative change&rsquo, nature can still be conserved, restored and used sustainably &ndash this is also key to meeting most other global goals. By transformative change, we mean a fundamental, system-wide reorganization across technological, economic and social factors, including paradigms, goals and values.&rdquo