In 1992, more than 1,700 scientists, including most of the Nobel Prize winners, wrote an urgent warning to humanity. The message was simple: if we do not take drastic action, human misery will prevail and our planet will be “irretrievably mutilated.” 25 years later, not much has changed.
For this reason, more than 15,000 scientists from 184 countries have signed (and continue to sign) a second advisory , in which they state that humans are on a collision course with the natural world, and if immediate action is not taken, we will not be able to avoid substantial and irreversible damage to the Earth.
Climate change, deforestation, loss of access to fresh water, the extinction of species and the growth of the human population are only making the situation even worse. Human well-being will be seriously threatened if we do not remedy it , the authors explain in the article published in the journal BioScience.
In the study, led by William Ripple’s team from Oregon State University (USA), scientists reveal that the only subject that has been successfully addressed is the ozone layer . The rest, in particular the current trajectory of climate change, deforestation and agricultural production, particularly meat consumption, are of particular concern.
The data
The report highlights a 26% reduction in the amount of fresh water available per inhabitant.
A reduction in the catch of wild fish
A 75% increase in the number of dead zones in the oceans
A loss of more than 121 million hectares of forest
Continuous increases in global carbon emissions and average temperatures
35% increase in human population
A 29% reduction in the number of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish.
Regarding the latter, the article warns about the mass extinction event that humanity has unleashed, the sixth in approximately 540 million years, which places the biodiversity of our planet at exceptional risk.
As an alarming example, in Australia, the loss of biodiversity is particularly evident . In 2017, Australia ranks second in the world in global biodiversity loss, just behind Indonesia, with habitat loss the top threat to biodiversity (logging is disturbing).
Much of these environmental catastrophes are due to the increase in the population on the planet. Since 1992, the human population has exploded, increasing by 35%, which is equivalent to another 2 billion people. Based on current trends, by 2050 the human population could increase to more than 9 billion people. If we do not stabilize the number of people, the stress to which we put our environment will continue to get worse and we will end up condemning it.
“By not adequately limiting population growth, reassessing the role of an economy rooted in growth, reducing greenhouse gases, incentivizing renewable energy, protecting habitat, restoring ecosystems, curbing pollution, stopping defaunation ( reduction of large and medium vertebrates) and restricting invasive alien species, humanity is not taking the urgent steps necessary to safeguard our endangered biosphere “, state the authors.
But not all is lost.
Scientists point to ozone enhancement as evidence that humanity can implement positive change when it sets out to do so.
“Soon it will be too late to change the course of our failed trajectory,” the scientists emphasize.
A quarter century ago, humanity collectively ignored an urgent warning from the world’s leading scientists. Now, time is running out, and we cannot afford to continue to ignore scientists and their research . Will we listen to their advice? Let’s remember that, after all, we don’t have a plan (eta) B.
Reference: William Ripple et al. “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice” BioScience November 2017 DOI: 10.1093 / biosci / bix125
