Climate & Environment
Sixth Mass Extinction
Definition
The sixth mass extinction is the ongoing loss of species at rates far above the background rate inferred from the fossil record — estimated at tens to hundreds of times higher — driven by human activity: habitat destruction, overexploitation, climate change, pollution and invasive species. Around one million species are threatened with extinction according to the IPBES Global Assessment (2019), and unlike previous mass extinctions this one has a single identifiable cause.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Sixth Mass Extinction” is defined and used.
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Overview
How it is used
The concept structures biodiversity communication, IPBES assessments, the rationale for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's targets, and debates on conservation triage.
Why it matters
The sixth extinction is the ultimate sustainability indicator — a measure of whether the biosphere that supports civilisation is being preserved or dismantled.