As governments meet in Bonn, Germany at the Convention on Biological Diversity to discuss ways of reducing the catastrophic loss of species, the goal of significantly reducing such losses is already unattainable. A report produced by the World Wildlife Fund, the Zoological Society of London and the Global Footprint Network says that land species have already declined by 25%, marine life by 28% and freshwater species by 29%. The study tracked nearly 4,000 species between 1970 and 2005 and found that without doubt humans are responsible for the destruction. Five main reasons were given for species decline: climate change, pollution, destruction of habitat, spread of invasive species and human over exploitation. Talk about slowing down extinctions is getting the world nowhere because action does not follow words. A prime example is the recent resignation of Brazil's environment minister. Disgusted with the increasing destruction of Amazon rain forest and her government's unwillingness to call a halt to its exploitation, the minister threw in the towel. Her resignation may only be a temporary embarrassment. The editor of the report, Jonathan Loh, said that the extinction rate is unprecedented in natural history since the dinosaurs suffered a mass extinction 65 million years ago. The loss of species has direct impacts on man's quality of life: fewer and more vulnerable food sources, fewer medicines, more toxicity, pests and diseases. It is a grave error to think technology has liberated mankind completely from the forces of nature.[graphic: The Independent]