A quarter of Britain’s native plants now at risk of extinction – The Times

Report on the Decline of Native Flora in Great Britain and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A recent update to the vascular plant “red list” for Great Britain reveals a significant increase in the number of threatened native plant species, directly challenging the United Kingdom’s progress towards key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 15 (Life on Land). The report, the first in 20 years from the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI), indicates that 26% of Britain’s native plants are now at risk of extinction. This decline is attributed to factors that intersect with multiple SDGs, including agricultural practices (SDG 2, SDG 12), infrastructure development (SDG 11), pollution (SDG 6), and climate change (SDG 13).

Key Findings of the Red List Update

• The proportion of threatened native plant species has risen from 23% in 2005 to 26%.
• Of the 1,720 species examined, 285 were classified as being at a greater risk of extinction than in the previous assessment.
• In contrast, only 117 species were considered less threatened, often due to targeted conservation efforts.

Species Status and Impact on SDG 15: Life on Land

The decline of specific species highlights a failure to meet the objectives of SDG 15, which calls for urgent action to halt biodiversity loss and protect threatened species. The degradation of terrestrial ecosystems is evident in the updated classifications of several plants.

1. Common milkwort (Polygala vulgaris): Once widespread, this species is now classified as vulnerable to extinction, impacting the food sources for fauna such as fritillary butterflies and signalling a loss of biodiversity.
2. Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris): This wetland species is now considered vulnerable after its geographical range shrank by over a third, indicating degradation of freshwater ecosystems (Target 15.1).
3. Venus’s looking glass (Legousia hybrida): A herb found on chalk arable land, its significant decline has led to an “endangered” classification, one step from critical.
4. Alpine gentian (Gentiana nivalis): This high-altitude plant is now endangered, with entire populations disappearing from sites in the Scottish Highlands, a trend linked to climate change.

Causal Factors and their Connection to Broader SDGs

The BSBI report identifies several primary drivers for the decline in native flora, each corresponding to challenges within the broader 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• Agricultural Intensification: This is a leading cause of habitat loss, undermining efforts towards sustainable food production systems as outlined in SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
• Habitat Loss from Development: The fragmentation of land for new housing and roads directly conflicts with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), which aims to reduce the adverse environmental impact of cities.
• Waterway Pollution: Cited as a significant issue, pollution impacts species like the marsh marigold and demonstrates challenges in achieving SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
• Climate Change: The threat to alpine plants is a clear indicator of the impact of a changing climate, stressing the urgency of SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Conservation Successes and the Role of Partnerships (SDG 17)

Despite the overall negative trend, the report provides evidence that targeted action, built on strong partnerships, can yield positive results, aligning with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The compilation of the report itself, based on 50 million records from thousands of volunteers, exemplifies a successful partnership between civil society and scientific bodies. Government agencies will use these findings to inform future conservation strategy.

1. Fen orchid (Liparis loeselii): This species has been moved from “endangered” to “near threatened” following successful efforts to restore its fenland habitat.
2. Yellow centaury (Cicendia filiformis): Benefited from concentrated conservation projects and is now less threatened.
3. Stinking hawk’s beard (Crepis foetida): Another species that has seen its status improve due to targeted conservation.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  This is the primary SDG addressed in the article. The entire text focuses on the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems and the urgent need to halt biodiversity loss. The article details the increasing threat of extinction to native plant species in Britain, such as the common milkwort and alpine gentian, which directly relates to protecting life on land. It discusses the degradation of specific habitats like grasslands, wetlands, and mountain environments, and highlights both the decline of species and the success of targeted conservation efforts for others like the fen orchid.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article makes a direct connection to SDG 13 by citing climate change as one of the causes for the decline in plant species. It specifically mentions that “climate change is making some parts of the country too warm for certain alpine plants to thrive,” linking global warming to localized biodiversity loss and the endangerment of species like the alpine gentian.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

• Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

  This target is central to the article. The publication of an updated “red list” of plants is a direct mechanism for monitoring progress toward this target. The article’s main focus is the finding that “a quarter of Britain’s native plants which are now classed as threatened,” with specific examples like the common milkwort being “vulnerable to extinction” and Venus’s looking glass becoming “endangered.” The success story of the fen orchid, which moved from “endangered” to “near threatened” due to conservation efforts, also exemplifies the kind of action this target calls for.

• Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.

  The article identifies several specific ecosystems under threat, which aligns with this target. It mentions the decline of plants in “chalk and limestone grasslands” (common milkwort), “wetlands” (marsh marigold), and high-altitude mountain ranges (alpine gentian). The successful restoration of “drained and abandoned fens” which helped the fen orchid recover is a direct example of actions supporting Target 15.1.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

• Red List Index (related to Indicator 15.5.1)

  The article is fundamentally about a “red list” of plants, which is the basis for the Red List Index. It provides explicit data points that serve as indicators of the status of biodiversity. For example, it states that “26 per cent of species are now listed as threatened,” an increase from “23 per cent” in 2005. It also uses the specific classifications from the Red List, such as “vulnerable,” “endangered,” and “near threatened,” to describe the status of individual species.

• Geographical Extent and Population Size of Species

  The article implies the use of geographical range and population counts as key indicators to assess the threat level. It mentions that the marsh marigold is now considered vulnerable because “its geographical extent shrunk by more than a third in just three generations.” For the alpine gentian, it notes a decline in both the number of sites it occupies and its population size, stating that at one site where “200 plants had been found in the 1990s… two surveys last year failed to find any.” Conversely, the recovery of the fen orchid is measured by the increase in its locations, from four to ten.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: thetimes.com