Environment Agency chief warns of irreversible biodiversity damage that could eventually kill off humans. A new Environment Agency study shows 41% of England’s native flora and fauna species have considerably decreased since 1970, with 15% at serious risk of extinction.

As reported by Sky, in a speech to mark a new report on the extent of biodiversity loss nationwide, EA chief executive Sir James Bevan highlights the link between a thriving natural environment and the clean water, good-quality soil and carbon storage needed for humans to survive.

The EA Chief Executive warns of a ‘silent spring’ for wildlife if warnings are ignored and urges action ahead of the UN Convention of Biological Diversity.An Environment Agency report that lays bare the scale of change needed to halt England’s biodiversity and climate crisis.

It sets out how significant changes will be needed to how land is used in England, with the need for significant landscape scale interventions and the use of nature-based solutions to help wildlife recover, and for humans to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.

The ‘Working with Nature’ report compiled by Environment Agency scientists sets out the global challenges facing the basics for life on Earth – clean water, climate regulation and food. It describes the potential loss of complex natural ecosystems that provide such essentials as an existential risk to human survival.

Referencing Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring, considered by many to be the most important piece of environmental writing of the 20th century, Environment Agency chief executive spoke about the ‘silent spring’ that awaits humanity unless action is taken by businesses, government and individuals to prevent further damage and rebuild the natural environment.

Sir James Bevan, said: The biodiversity crisis joins the climate crisis as an existential risk to our survival, but as this report sets out the solution is not to retreat but to work together to build a nature-positive response. Nature provides the basics for life – clean water, clean air and food. With major pressures on land use across England, nature-based solutions must be a major part in our response to protect these essentials whilst rebuilding our natural world.

England is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world due to its long history of industrialisation and land use changes over millennia. Large areas of habitats have been lost with 99.7% of fens, 97% of species-rich grasslands, 80% of lowland heathlands, up to 70% of ancient woodlands and up to 85% of saltmarshes destroyed or degraded.

The news release from the Environment Agency can be read here and the speech from Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive, Environment Agency, can be found here. The full report, ‘Working with Nature’ can be downloaded and read here.