London, Europe Brief News – Scientists have raised concerns over the loss of other marine creatures, including exotic coral and shellfish.
They said humans had created a “perfect storm” that threatens marine life across the globe.
The International Union for Conservation for Nature (IUCN), which compiles the official Red List of endangered species, revealed the latest findings at the UN biodiversity conference, COP 15.
“We simply cannot afford to fail,” said Dr Bruno Oberle, head of the IUCN.
He warned of the urgent need to address the linked climate and biodiversity crises, or “risk losing the crucial benefits the oceans provide us with”.
The latest update to the list, which has now assessed more than 150,000 species, revealed “a perfect storm of unsustainable human activity decimating marine life around the globe,” he said.
Countries are meeting in Montreal, Canada, to try to agree targets for addressing the loss of nature amid an extinction crisis threatening a million species on Earth. High on their agenda is a plan to protect 30% of land and sea for nature across the globe by 2030.
Environmental groups say progress in the first week has been slow and are calling for a step change in both pace and ambition.
