- Humanity Needs 1.4 Planet Earths - net_efekt
The United Nations has marked 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, as an opportunity to celebrate all life on earth and curb the unprecedented loss of the world's species due to human activity. Many conservation experts believe, however, that there is nothing to celebrate about this year as the state of biodiversity is showing a rapid decline.
According to the United Nations’ definition, biological diversity - or biodiversity - is the term given to the variety of life on Earth – from bacteria to plants and animals, from genes to species and ecosystems – and the natural patterns it forms.
Humanity Needs 1.4 Planet Earths
In 2002, the International Convention on Biological Diversity in The Hague set a target to stop the decline of global biodiversity by 2010. The world, however, has failed to meet this target to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by this year, according to the third edition of Global Biodiversity Outlook report. (UNEP, May 10, accessed May 2010)
The Biological Diversity conference highlighted 15 indicators of progress towards the 2010 target, ranging from trends in the extent of wildlife habitats to the build-up of nutrients such as nitrogen, which can harm aquatic life. Only one of the 15 - the area of the world's surface officially protected for wildlife - is moving in the right direction for biodiversity. (UNEP)
All over the planet, biodiversity is declining. According to estimates, the number of known species has declined by 40% since the 1970s. Many scientists believe that life on Earth is on the verge of a massive extinction phase estimating that the current species extinction rate to be between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than it would naturally be.
In his article "Middle East Faces Severe Biodiversity Threat", Habib El Habr, the director and regional representative of the UN Environment Program for West Asia argues that, "The Human ecological footprint has reached 1.4 times the Earth ecological capacity. This means we need 1.4 planet earths to sustain us, and this number is growing alongside the human population.” (Gulf News, April 2010, accessed May 2010)
Why Biodiversity Loss is Accelerating
The underlying causes of the biodiversity crisis are driven by a complex array of social, economic, political and biological factors. Rising individual consumption, especially in rich nations, is a major driver for the loss of biodiversity as it causes agricultural intensification, habitat destruction and over-exploitation.
Pollution, urban and industrial wastes; unsustainable use of natural resources, for example, through forestry, fisheries and mining activities; and climate change are also making habitats unsuitable for some species.
Scientists expect climate change to drive a quarter of land animals and plants into extinction over the next 50 years. In her article, "Human Driving Extinction Faster Than Spices Can Evolve," Juliette Jowit writes that more than 1 million species will be lost by 2050. "Much of that loss - more than one in 10 of all plants and animals - is already irreversible because of the extra global warming gases." (The Guardian, January 2009, accessed May 2010)
Saving the World's Biodiversity
Ecologists claim that one of the greatest barriers to saving the world's biodiversity is simply a lack of knowledge. To date, scientists have described 1.9 million species, but the vast majority of the world's species are left unanalyzed especially fungi, plants, fish, reptiles, and insects and other invertebrates. Researchers say it is likely that 10 to 20 million species inhabit the planet. If bacteria are added into this estimate, it is likely it jumps another 10 million species or so. (Hance, Jeremy, "60 million USD needed to gauge the global threat to biodiversity," Mongabay.com, April 10, accessed May 2010)
There is no single solution to the loss of biodiversity. Plants, animals and humans are intertwined in a number of complicated ecosystems. Any real advances toward solving the loss of biodiversity require governments to immediately address issues such as climate change, water pollution, melting polar ice caps, and the rapidly escalating extinction of various species.
Apart from governments, individuals can make a difference. Walking or bicycling instead of driving, using reusable bags instead of plastic grocery bags, or buying energy-efficient appliances are part of the solution to biodiversity loss. As an unknown author once said, “Take care of the earth and she will take care of you.”
Badar Salem - Badar is a freelance journalist based in Dubai, UAE. She has a BA in Journalism and Political Science from BirZeit University in Palestine ...
