Portugal is one of 10 countries with “most to lose” in a scenario of political inaction over the degradation of ecosystems.

A study presented in London last week stressed Portugal could sorely benefit from “more ambition”.

Global Futures, backed by the World Wildlife Fund, is hoping to make political leaders and business people aware of the risks to economic prosperity that come from global environmental degradation.

On a map of countries “that will suffer the most”, Portugal is “in the red” with Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Uruguay, parts of the Ivory Coast, Norway, Mozambique and Madagascar – the last two of which even have issues when it comes to the protection of Nature.

The study’s authors recommend that governments come to a global agreement about Nature and people, “incorporating strong global protection of biodiversity and stalling the global loss of this biodiversity by 2030, starting with recovery of Nature from this date”.

Says Lusa, the study warns that if governments maintain ‘business-as-usual’, global GDP will fall by 479 billion dollars a year compared to values in 2011.

natasha.donn@algarveresident.com