‘World leaders continue to sit back and watch our world burn in front of our eyes’ (Picture: PA)

Animal populations in some parts of the world have collapsed by up to 94% in less than half a century, according to yet another devastating report underlining the scale of the climate crisis.

Globally, wildlife populations plummeted by an average of almost 70%, the landmark study from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) suggests.

If replicated in humans, it added, that would be the equivalent of everyone from Europe, the Americas, Africa, Oceania and China dying out between 1970 and 2018.

Conservationists said they have ‘had enough’ of calling for immediate action to halt the dramatic loss of nature and biodiversity and warned: ‘We are on the brink’.

The potential loss of the Amazon Rainforest in as little as ten years is causing particular concern – with the head of WWF UK telling Metro.co.uk that there will be ‘no safe place on Earth’ if the forest hits a tipping point that means it no longer functions as a rainforest.

But the organisation stressed that there is still time to reverse the grim trends, if urgent measures are taken immediately – branding this a ‘now or never’ moment.

That language echoes countless climate reports in recent times, with the WWF’s previous Living Planet report, published two years ago, making similarly grim warnings.

‘Frankly, I’ve had enough’, Dr Mike Barrett, the executive director of science and conservation at WWF, said.

‘We’ve kicked the can as far down the road as we possibly can. It’s not a question of just talking about urgent action. It’s about action right now…

‘We are not going to get another chance. It is for our current leaders, current governments, current CEOs to act and act now.’

The study, released today, looks at the abundance of almost 32,000 populations of 5,230 species of animals around the world.

It reveals population sizes declined by 69% on average in 48 years, driven largely by the loss and break-up of natural habitat for agriculture, and threats to wildlife from the changing climate.

The decline of animal populations around the world (Picture: WWF)

Species in freshwater lakes, rivers and wetlands have been worst hit, falling by an average of 83% since 1970.

The worst declines – of 94% – are in Latin America, home to the Amazon, where increasing deforestation is destroying trees and the species reliant upon them.

WWF chief executive Tanya Steele told Metro.co.uk: ‘If we lose the Amazon Rainforest there is no safe place on Earth from climate change.’

Europe, central Asia and North America have seen lesser declines in populations, but scientists from the Zoological Society of London, whose Living Planet Index informs the report, said these areas had already seen reductions in nature by 1970, when the data began.

Conservationists warn the UK now has just 50% of its natural richness left, compared with historic levels.

We are ‘on the brink’ and time is running out to save nature, WWF say (Picture: PA)

Tanya continued: ‘We are the most nature-depleted country on the planet and we are not seeing progress.

‘We can see it with our own eyes: species that would have been familiar have now become unfamiliar.’

Previously abundant skylarks and hedgehogs are now in serious decline, while 92% of sea grass habitat and 97% of wildflower meadows have been lost, she added.

Prime Minister Liz Truss was urged to take steps to restore the natural world and ensure the UK ‘is not complicit in the destruction of nature here and around the world’.

Mike suggested that there would be delays in implementing the climate action needed – meaning ‘we have a now or never moment’.

Once common animals in the UK, like hedgehogs, are now a rarity (Picture: PA)

He told Metro.co.uk there should be ‘nothing’ on supermarket shelves that profits from deforestation.

WWF wants legislation to ban products ranging from food to gold linked to deforestation abroad, and to support farmers here to work sustainably and restore nature.

Consumption habits in wealthy countries and the reliance on fossil fuels were also pinpointed as contributing factors for wildlife’s decline.

Following a tumultuous start to Truss’ premiership, conservationists fear her Government could row back on its commitments to nature and climate.

Tanya said: ‘Despite the science, the catastrophic projections, the impassioned speeches and promises, the burning forests, submerged countries, record temperatures and displaced millions – world leaders continue to sit back and watch our world burn in front of our eyes.

92% of sea grass habitat around the UK has been lost (Picture: PA)

‘The climate and nature crises, their fates entwined, are not some faraway threat our grandchildren will solve with still-to-be-discovered technology.

‘Across the world, and in the UK, nature is on its knees and our leaders are risking catastrophic consequences for people, planet and our economy by failing to act.’

Experts believe that to avoid 1.5°C of warming – and limit the worst impacts of the environmental emergency – the planet needs more nature, since natural systems store carbon and provide other climate benefits.

But Mike warned: ‘At the moment we are losing nature still, so we’re heading the wrong way.’

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Every year, 10 million hectares of forest – roughly the size of Portugal – is lost, battering the climate, food security and millions of people’s livelihoods.

There are some bright spots of wildlife bucking the declines, such loggerhead turtle nests increasing 500% along the coast of Cyprus between 1999 and 2015 – thanks to targeted conservation efforts.

In the UK, once-extinct common cranes have been reintroduced, with the population reaching more than 200.

In December, Montreal will host the crucial Cop15 conference on biodiversity.

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The global average was 69%.