Statement by Dr. Anne Larigauderie on World Migratory Bird Day 2024

As we celebrate World Migratory Bird Day 2024, the theme ‘Protect Insects, Protect Birds’ is particularly timely and important.

A key finding from IPBES over the past decade is that 1 million species of plants and animals face extinction, out of an estimated 8 million species globally. Of these, approximately three-quarters are insects, yet the precise proportion of insect species threatened with extinction remains uncertain.

For many vital species, especially migratory birds, this gap in insect data could mean the difference between survival and decline. Over 11% of migratory land and waterbirds are currently threatened or near threatened, and more than half of all migratory bird species across major flyways have experienced population declines in the last 30 years.

Human activities, including land-use changes, climate change, and widespread insecticide use, are taking a devastating toll on insects, birds, and biodiversity as a whole.

IPBES remains committed to working with scientists, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, practitioners, and knowledge-holders to ensure decision-makers have the best available evidence to make informed choices that benefit both people and nature.