UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said they need to place the voices of local communities and indigenous people - their world's most effective guardians of biodiversity - front and centre.

"Today and every day, let us all do our part to preserve natural habitats and build a thriving future for all living beings," he said in a message marking the World Wildlife Day on Friday.

The UN Chief said they need much bolder actions now to cut emissions, accelerate renewables, and build climate resilience.

"On World Wildlife Day, we reflect on our responsibility to protect the magnificent diversity of life on our planet," he said.

"And we recognize our abject failure.

Human activities are laying waste to once-thriving forests, jungles, farmland, oceans, rivers, seas, and lakes," said the UN chief.

One million species teeter on the brink of extinction, due to habitat destruction, fossil fuel pollution and the worsening climate crisis.

"We must end this war on nature.

The good news is that we have the tools, the knowledge, and the solutions," Guterres said.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which has helped protect thousands of plants and animals.

And last year's agreement on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework marked an important step towards putting the planet on a path to healing.

"As this year's theme - 'Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation' - highlights, we need to work across governments, civil society, and the private sector to turn commitment into action," said the UN chief.