By Steve Connor
Life on Earth is facing a major crisis with thousands of species threatened with imminent extinction - a global emergency demanding urgent action.
This is the view of 19 of the world's most eminent biodiversity specialists who have called on governments around the world to establish a political framework to save the living planet.
We are losing species faster than at any time for at least 65 million years, when the Earth was hit by an enormous asteroid that wiped out thousands of animals and plants, including the dinosaurs.
Scientists estimate that the current rate at which species are going extinct is between 100 and 1 000 times greater than the normal "background" extinction rate - and it's all due to human activity.
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The call for action comes from some of the most distinguished scientists in the field such as Georgina Mace of the United Kingdom Institute of Zoology, Peter Raven, head of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St Louis and Robert Watson, chief scientist at the World Bank.
"For the sake of the planet, the biodiversity science community had to create a way to get organised, to co-ordinate its work across disciplines, and together with one clear voice advise governments on steps to halt the potentially catastrophic loss of species already occurring," Dr Watson said.
In a joint declaration published today in the journal Nature the scientists say that the Earth is on the verge of a major biodiversity catastrophe and only a global political initiative stands a chance of stemming the loss.
"There is growing recognition that the diversity of life on Earth, including the variety of genes, species and ecosystems, is an irreplaceable natural heritage crucial to human well-being and sustainable development," the scientists say.
"There is also clear scientific evidence that we are on the verge of a major biodiversity crisis.
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