We need to focus on limiting human population growth, reducing resource consumption, and cracking down on government corruption, if we're going to stop the global loss of species known as the sixth great extinction.

Key points: 2020 biodiversity targets failing globally

2020 biodiversity targets failing globally Population pressure and high rates of resource consumption are key threats

Population pressure and high rates of resource consumption are key threats Australia has worst record on mammal extinction, driven by land clearing

That's the message from a team of scientists who today published their recommendations for slowing current rates of biodiversity loss, in a paper in Nature Ecology and Evolution.

Although key threats to biodiversity include habitat clearing for cattle, mining, and urban sprawl, these are all consequences of population pressure and high rates of resource consumption, according to Deakin University researcher Euan Ritchie.

"It's often a taboo topic to talk about human population size and family planning and how much we consume as individuals," Dr Ritchie said.

"But if we don't address these issues in the context of biodiversity conservation and sustainability then we're largely kidding ourselves."

The researchers assessed the 2020 targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) — the world's central conservation strategy to which 196 nations have signed up.

They concluded that many of the global biodiversity conservation aims known as the Aichi targets, are inadequate and lacking key indicators to measure the effects of governments, human population size, corruption and "threat industries" like mining.

As a result, they say the targets are failing to halt the catastrophic decline of species worldwide and need to be revised to include the major drivers of species loss.

"Ignoring major drivers is a fundamental flaw of the current set of targets and indicators," the paper states.

Australia worst offender for mammal loss

Although the paper is a global study, Dr Ritchie argues that Australia's poor record on species loss means we need to be making changes to halt the demise of biodiversity here.

"We have the worst record in the world on mammal conservation, with 30 species likely to have become extinct since European settlement," he said.

"In terms of the big issues for biodiversity loss in Australia, they are habitat loss which is associated with urbanisation, agriculture and extractive industries such as mining."

Sarah Bekessy says industry must be held accountable for impacts to biodiversity. ( ABC Rural: Carl Curtain )

Environment and policy researcher Sarah Bekessy from RMIT agrees, adding there needs to be greater accountability from industry for its role in species and habitat loss.

"I completely agree that a conservation crisis is driven by people," said Professor Bekessy, who was not involved in the research.

"I think we need to keep industry accountable for their biodiversity impacts.

"Industry is allowed to literally kill threatened species and eliminate their habitat and it's all OK because we can offset it somehow.

"That's a really bad policy direction in my opinion that leads to us undervaluing the uniqueness of biodiversity," she said.

Although the association between corruption and biodiversity loss has been well established in countries like Indonesia, Dr Ritchie said more can be done in Australia to reduce conflicts of interest.

"We need urgent changes to our laws relating to political donations and disclosure of potentially vested interests," he said.

"Both major political parties receive large donations from fossil fuel companies and extractive industries. And if they're making decisions about biodiversity at the same time as development, then obviously there's a potential conflict of interest there."

The world's last male northern white rhino died this month. ( AP )

Both Dr Ritchie and Professor Bekessy cited the death of the last male northern white rhino earlier this month as a reminder that we need to be doing more to halt the loss of species worldwide.

Professor Bekessy said she believes people may not realise how much their day-to-day decisions can impact on species loss.

"Whether we choose to have beef or vegetable for dinner, or what sort of coffee we choose to have in the morning, all of these things lead to the survival or extinction of species," she said.

"Extinction is something that people understand. All the media attention around the last white rhino — it was heartbreaking because it was really personal.

"I think, [we need to make our goal] no more extinctions."