Time to find a second Earth, WWF says
Carbon pollution and over-use of Earth’s natural resources have become so critical that, on current trends, we will need a second planet to meet our needs by 2030, the WWF said on Wednesday.
In 2007, Earth’s 6.8 billion humans were living 50 percent beyond the planet’s threshold of sustainability, according to its report, issued ahead of a UN biodiversity conference.
“Even with modest UN projections for population growth, consumption and climate change, by 2030 humanity will need the capacity of two Earths to absorb CO2 waste and keep up with natural resource consumption,” it warned.
If everyone used resources at the same rate per capita as the United States or the United Arab Emirates, four and a half planets would be needed, it said, highlighting the gap in “ecological footprint” between rich and poor.
The “Living Planet” report, the eighth in the series, is based on figures for 2007, the latest year for which figures are available.
It pointed to 71 countries that were running down their sources of freshwater at a worrying, unsustainable rate.
Nearly two-thirds of these countries experience “moderate to severe” water stress.
“This has profound implications for ecosystem health, food production and human wellbeing, and is likely to be exacerbated by climate change,” WWF said.
Signatories to the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are to meet in Nagoya, Japan, from October 18-29 to discuss ways of addressing Earth’s dramatic loss of species.
The UN named 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. Under Target 7b of the Millennium Development Goals, UN members pledged to achieve by 2010 “a significant reduction” in the rate of wildlife loss.
Biologists say many species, especially mammals, birds and amphibians, are in headlong decline, their numbers ravaged by habitat loss, hunting or the likely impact of climate change.
The WWF said biodiversity showed a dramatic loss overall, but one with sharp disparities.
Between 1970 and 2007, an index of biodiversity health showed a global fall of almost 30 percent, it said.
In the tropics, the decline was 60 percent, but in temperate regions, there was an increase of 30 percent.
Temperate zones — the first parts of the world to industrialise — may be starting from a lower baseline of species loss, which could explain the gradual improvement in recent decades.
Improvements in pollution control and waste management, better air and water quality, an increase in forest cover and greater conservation efforts may also be making headway in some temperate countries, the WWF said.
Source: http://news.malaysia.msn.com/top-stories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4394831
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It is quite sad to know the condition of our Earth. Pollution essentially affects the quality of human life than one can imagine. The resources earth provides us are limited. They are blessings which we do not count.
All these are mainly caused by human activities which harm the environment. It works in mysterious ways, sometimes which cannot be seen by the naked eye. Human has become selfish and is utilizing the earth’s resources at a instant rapid rate to enjoy privileges however forgotten on the effect of it in long run.
Earth is a privilege given to us by nature and it’s our responsibility to protect it . Our well
being solely depends on this. We should create awareness and start taking action to help our mother nature instead of looking for another earth. However, this is soon going to be our reality if we do not save the earth now.
https://bit.ly/3wpmvEW
To preserve a healthy climate, greenhouse-gas emissions must be reduced. Human activity is the main cause of climate change. People burn fossil fuels and convert land from forests to agriculture. Burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas which causes climate change. Human-induced climate change has contributed to changing patterns of extreme weather across the globe. Its very obvious now from longer and hotter heat waves to heavier rains everywhere. From a broad perspective, all weather events are now connected to climate change. They also contribute to respiratory disease from smog and air pollution. Extreme weather, food supply disruptions, and increased wildfires are other effects of climate change caused by greenhouse gases.
We must do something before its too late. Let’s protect our planet from getting damaged and make a difference otherwise we will need a second planet. We have to take global warming seriously and act locally, nationally, and internationally. Biodiversity is also important in long run. Biodiversity supports ecosystems to provide and purify water. It provides functioning of ecosystems that supply oxygen, clean air and water, pollination of plants and so forth.
Thank you Rinpoche for this sharing bringing awareness to everyone to save the earth.
It’s alarming reading this article. Year 2030 is very near and if we don’t do much to help the earth and our environment, we will very soon exhaust our natural resource. We are facing with so much deficiency such as clean water, air, trees and our whole ecosystem are affected. We should create awareness and start taking action to help our mother earth instead of looking for another earth. It is with the right mindset that we can sustain our earth.
What we sow we reap. Karma comes back. These quotes are very similar and definitely tells us that we have to be careful how we treat others. We have to be mindful in everything we do. From being kind to animals to feeding the homeless and the poor. We should act on those things that generate merits and positive energy as we only wish to reap the positive.
So, if we keep polluting the earth, we will end up breathing in the pollutants. so, we do have to be careful how envisage the many acts of destruction we carry out on a daily basis.
It is sad to read this news, all the things we did to the world are due to our desire, it clearly shows that our desire and attachment are creating so much harm to the earth and our mankind.
We should reduce the waste and use more recycle stuff, have more care on our daily life will really make a lot of different and our lifestyle will be so much more healthier.
To have a good living environment is one of the main criteria of creating a happy life. Make a better future for our next generation and not let them have to suffer from the consequences of our selfish desire.
Our environment will teach us a big fat lesson in cause and effect. Everything we do has an effect on our environment but we choose to ignore it. If we could reuse and recycle what we use, we would definitely be able to reduce the strain on the environment. It is not just about saving money (though it does in the long run!) but saving the planet we are borrowing. We can do simple things like closing the tap when brushing our teeth and not letting the water run, recycling rain water to water plants, recycling paper, walking rather than driving short distances, stop the use of styrofoam, plastic cutlery and other non-degradable disposables etc., switching off the airconditioning if we are not in the room, not letting the car idle if waiting for someone. There are many, many ways of being energy efficient and reducing waste. It is a great training of awareness and mindfulness which will benefit ourselves, others and future generations.
No point to search another planet instead earth,i believe that human will destroy it in one day .We need protect our earth and make an excellent living place for our following generations. Just practice to save paper ,water and electricity.I believe again that our a little bit contribution can change this world.
We “use” our planet in a manner as we are using sofas, beds ,car and etc – just throw away if it’s old, old fashion or get dirty.
At first glance, the movie Wall-E is with too much imagination to leave the Earth which is full filled with rubbish and toxic. After seeing the WWF report or observing how human eat, spend, shop and live our life, one can tell also, our planet soon will come to the day of doom.
Today I come across a quote saying “The most violence element in society is IGNORANCE”. We want happiness but without knowing creating so many causes of unhappiness. we sometimes are so ignorant to the level to harm our self…
Finding a planet that could potentially support life in the Universe is really a major step towards answering a major question asked by most scientists: Are we alone? According to astrological Journal reports, astronomers have found many other planets in our galactic neighbourhood, plenty of earth-like planets circling other stars, but to ascertain finding one in what astronomers refered to as in a “habitable zone” still remain an unsolved mystery! Particularly, one which can hve the potentials to harbour life with suitable conditions like our earthly temperatures, atmospheric air and water etc., etc., to sustain life. In another latest scientific calculation, reports made by some scientists, it was fiquired out that as much as one out of five to ten stars in the universe, have planets that are like earth-sized and in habitable zone. In washington, it seems astronomers revealed they hve for the first time spotted a planet in the “goldilocks zone” with not too hot, not too cold temperature, Juuuust right, just like earth, but cautions were made that it is too speculative to say this planet can harbour lives. So we are back to square one again!
We, as human beings, have been taking advantage over our mother Earth, to the extent of needing a second one. I think that idea is quite scary. It will be scary because I do not know what will happen. I do not want to get separated from what we are now.
I think that if the population decreases, we will not need a second earth but we still need to conserve any resources we have.
Human beings are just being to prideful as we are the most smartest animals on Earth. If we really are, then why are we ruining it.
Human beings pride themselves on being the intelligent life form on Earth, but look at the mess they made – instead of making Earth a beautiful home, they are creating a living hell in many parts of the world. Intellect without wisdom and compassion is destruction!
makes me feel scared… any kind of prayers we can do to affect the balance?
Just would like to share this video I found on how animal use and abuse contributes to depleting our environment. We can all end animal use and everyone has a fair chance to live.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWWNLvgU4MI&feature=related
At the rate we are going, we are definitely destroying our planet earth. Some countries are depleting the earth’s resources more than others. Can’t imagine how the world would be like 50 years from now.