Context:
First Global Tree Assessment was published as part of an update to the IUCN Red List
Global Tree Assessment Report:
- Released by – IUCN
- Part of – IUCN Red List
- Purpose – To evaluate all tree species globally for inclusion in the IUCN Red List
Key Findings of the Report:
- Species at Risk – Of the 47,282 tree species analysed, 16,425 are threatened with extinction.
- Iconic species, such as magnolias, oaks, maples, and ebonies, are among those most endangered.
- Threatened tree species exceed the combined total of threatened birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, with trees at risk in 192 countries.
- The South Western Ghats of Kerala host Buchanania barberi, a small tree classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2018.
IUCN Red List:
- A critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity.
- Information provided on – range, population size, habitat and ecology, use and trade, threats, and conservation actions.
- Classified under 9 Categories (Decreasing order of risk) – Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data Deficient and Not Evaluated
- Criteria used to determine the risk of species –
- Population size reduction
- Restricted geographical range
- A small population and declining
- Very small or lives in a restricted area
- Quantitative analysis of extinction risk
- Includes the IUCN Green Status of Species –
- A Green Status assessment examines how conservation actions have affected the current Red List status.
- 8 Green Status Categories – Extinct in the Wild, Critically Depleted, Largely Depleted, Moderately Depleted, Slightly Depleted, Fully Recovered, Non-Depleted and Indeterminate.
Source: Down To Earth
Previous Year Question
‘Invasive Species Specialist Group’ (that develops Global Invasive Species Database) belongs to which one of the following organizations?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) The International Union for Conservation of Nature
(b) The United Nations Environment Programme
(c) The United Nations World Commission for Environment and Development
(d) The World Wide Fund for Nature
Answer: (a)