Disappearing plants jeopardize a green future
STORY: Plant species are disappearing around the world
and it's happening silently
Location: London, England
Scientists at the Royal Bontanic Gardens, Kew say
nearly 800 have disappeared since the 18th century
Thousands more are considered functionally extinct
(Carly Cowell, Conservation policy lead)
“I think the greatest threat immediately to the plants in the world is land use change, be that for agriculture or housing, it's certainly an immediate threat where forests are cut down and pristine grasslands are ploughed.”
At least 40% of the world’s remaining plant species are in trouble
according to Kew's 2020 State of the World’s Plants and Fungi report
Estimates suggest two plant species vanish each year on average