Climate Facts: Giraffes under threat of extinction, only 68,000 left

The complexities of climate change and its associated jargon can make it difficult to digest. TheCable’s climate quick facts will help to demystify these climate concepts through easy-to-understand and straight-to-the-point explanations.

Here are some to keep at the tip of your fingers:

• There are approximately 68,000 giraffes left in the wild, comprising four species and eight sub-species, which differ greatly in terms of population. For example, there are only 600 West African giraffes left in the wild, while there are around 45,000 Masai giraffes left.

• The IPBES assessment report on the sustainable use of wild species reveals that one in five people around the world rely on wild species for income and food, while 2.4 billion people depend on wood fuel for cooking.

• Currently, governments around the world spend more than $500 billion every year in ways that harm biodiversity to support industries like fossil fuels, agriculture, and fisheries.

• An estimated 31 percent of the world’s 430 oak species are threatened with extinction, according to the IUCN Red List, while 41 percent are of conservation concern, mainly owing to deforestation for agriculture and fuel for cooking.

• Seaweeds are one of the planet’s great survivors, with relatives of some modern-day seaweeds being traced back 1.6 billion years.