UP to a million species of plants and animals are currently at risk of extention and could vanish within decades, according to a new UN-backed global assessment.
The number of species at risk is the biggest ever recorded in human history and scientists say it shows wildlife and habitats across the world are declining at an "unprecedented" rate.
The researchers say our natural world is deteriorating faster than ever directly because of human activity, putting "the very foundations" of economies, livelihoods, food, health and quality of life at risk worldwide.
The report calls for "transformational change" across the economy and society to protect and restore nature and ensure people have access to food, medicine and other necessary materials.
READ MORE: Scotland's 2045 target is not soon enough to solve climate emergency
The scientists say without such change, the damage will continue or worsen up to and beyond 2050, posing a direct threat to human well-being across the globe.
It will also undermine existing global efforts to tackle poverty and hunger, improve health and curb climate change.
The experts warned that "vested interests" would oppose changes to the status quo, from which they benefit through things such as subsidies or a lack of regulation, but this opposition could be overcome for the public good.
The three-year global assessment on the state of nature from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has involved more than 450 experts from 50 countries.
Professor Josef Settele, who co-chaired the assessment, said: "The essential, interconnected web of life on Earth is getting smaller and increasingly frayed.
"This loss is a direct result of human activity and constitutes a direct threat to human well-being in all regions of the world."
The study found the biggest cause of wildlife loss is change to the way environments are used, followed by direct exploitation of animals and plants, climate change, pollution and invasive species.
Three-quarters of the world's land has been "significantly altered" by human activity, with forests cut down and grassland ploughed up for crops or livestock and the spread of cities, industry and infrastructure such as roads.
Plastic pollution has increased 10-fold in the seas since 1980, harming turtles, seabirds and mammals, fertiliser run-off has caused "dead zones" in the oceans, land is becoming less productive, and the loss of pollinators puts crops at risk.
READ MORE: Scotland unveils blueprint for climate revolution – with warning to UK
Last week, the First Minister declared a climate emergency and vowed to adopt a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2045, five years sooner than the UK Government.
The Scottish Government also plans to switch to electric cars quicker than the UK, with a target date of 2032 for the plan.
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