Biodiversity: UK is one of the world's most nature-depleted countries

The UK may be known for its green fields and lush countryside, but new data shows that it is actually one of the countries in the world where biodiversity is in the worst state.

Biodiversity is the variety of all living things on Earth and how they fit together in the web of life, bringing oxygen, water, food and countless other benefits.

A study found that that UK is one of the world's most nature-depleted countries, with on average about half its biodiversity left - far below the global average of 75%.

It means the UK is in the bottom 10% globally for biodiversity.

The new tool for assessing biodiversity, known as the Biodiversity Intactness Index, estimates the percentage of natural biodiversity that remains across the world and in individual countries.

Researchers said the UK's low position is linked to the industrial revolution, which transformed the landscape.

The assessment was released ahead of a key UN biodiversity conference.

Why does biodiversity matter?

Prof Andy Purvis, research leader at the Natural History Museum in London, said biodiversity is more than something beautiful to look at.

He said: "It's what provides us with so many of our basic needs. It's the foundation of our society."

Biodiversity is declining faster than at any time in human history.

Since 1970, there has been on average almost a 70% decline in the populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians.

It is thought that one million animal and plant species - almost a quarter of the global total - are threatened with extinction.

Is there a plan to improve biodiversity?

The UN Biodiversity Conference is being held between 11 and 24 Oct 2021, hosted by China.

As part of this, world leaders are attending week-long virtual talks aimed at encouraging countries to take more interest in slowing down the loss of nature.

The UN climate conference, COP26 is also being held in Glasgow at the end of this month.

Face to face talks will be held in China in April next year with world leaders negotiating a framework for protecting nature and species over the next decade.

The draft agreement aims to conserve at least 30% of the world's lands and oceans, but not all countries have signed up.

The global biodiversity framework replaces the plan for the last decade, which missed all 20 targets.

What could be done here in the UK?

This is what some representatives of local organisations had to say.

Beccy Speight, chief executive of the RSPB: "To play our part, we need the UK to step up and turn our global promises into action at home, to show that we are not going to let another lost decade for nature slip past."

Andrew Deutz, global policy lead of international conservation charity, the Nature Conservancy, said the gathering momentum behind nature had not come a moment too soon.

"As with the accelerating climate emergency, what happens over the next year will - to a large extent - set humanity's course for the rest of the decade; and what happens this decade is likely to define our prospects for the rest of this century," he said.