International efforts to meet a set of targets agreed in 2010 to halt the loss of wildlife and habitats are failing miserably, a new UN report found. The Global Biodiversity Outlook, published at the start of a biodiversity meeting in South Korea on Monday, shows that governments are failing to meet most of the 53 goals set for 2020 in the Convention on Biological Diversity. The signatory states are only on track to meet five goals, for example the goal of setting set aside 17% of the world's land area by 2020 in protected areas for wildlife. 33 targets show some progress, but at an insufficient rate to meet the targets, while the rest show no progress at all or the situation is getting worse. Nations are lagging behind when it comes to halving the rate of loss of natural habitats, including forests, or preventing the extinction of threatened species. “Despite individual success stories, the average risk of extinction for birds, mammals and amphibians is still increasing”, the report said. At the same time, genetic diversity of domesticated livestock is eroding, with more than one-fifth of breeds at risk of extinction. Wild relatives of domesticated crop species are increasingly threatened by habitat fragmentation and climate change. The report called for an increased focus on agriculture, for instance by limiting the over-use of fertilisers since nitrogen and phosphorus pollution continues to pose a very significant threat to biodiversity. According to the report, 70% of the projected loss of terrestrial biodiversity is caused by drivers linked to agriculture. “Addressing trends in food systems is therefore crucial in determining whether the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 will succeed. Solutions for achieving sustainable farming and food systems include sustainable productivity increases by restoring ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes, reducing waste and losses in supply chains, and addressing shifts in consumption patterns“, the authors conclude.