THE DEVASTATING DECLINE OF NATURE!
ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY BY MILES RICHARDSON, A PROFESSOR OF NATURE CONNECTEDNESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DERBY IN ENGLAND; THE HUMAN CONNECTION WITH NATURE HAS DECLINED BY 60% SINCE 1800. RICHARDSON ARRIVED AT HIS CONCLUSIONS BY USING DATA ON URBANIZATION, LOSS OF WILDLIFE SPECIES, PARTICULARLY URBAN SPECIES AND PARENTS NO-LONGER PASSING ON ENGAGEMENTS WITH NATURE TO THEIR CHILDREN. RICHARDSON IDENTIFIED THE DISAPPEARANCES OF NATURE WORDS IN BOOKS AS A MAJOR ISSUE WHICH PEAKED AT A 60.6% LOSS IN 1990. HIS MODEL PREDICTS AN ONGOING “EXTINCTION OF EXPERIENCE” AS FUTURE GENERATIONS CONTINUE TO LOSE AN AWARENESS OF NATURE. MUCH OF THE LOSE IS DUE TO THE INCREASING URBANIZATION OF THE WORLD POPULATION.
“NATURE CONNECTEDNESS IS NOW ACCEPTED AS A KEY ROOT CAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS”, SAID RICHARDSON. “IT’S VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR OWN MEDAL HEALTH AS WELL. IT UNITES PEOPLE AND NATURE’S WELL-BEING. THERE’S NEED FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IF WE’RE GOING TO CHANGE SOCIETY’S RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE.”
THE STUDY GOES ON TO POINT OUT THAT MINOR ADJUSTMENTS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS. MAJOR CHANGES WILL BE NECESSARY, THEREBY COMPLICATING THE SOLUTIONS. MOST EFFECTIVE, ACCORDING TO THE STUDY, ARE MEASURES INSTILLING AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT IN OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES. COMPLICATING THE ISSUE; THE MODELLING SHOWS THAT POLICIES TO TRANSFORM EARLY EDUCATION AND URBAN GREENING NEED TO BE IN PLACE OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS TO REVERSE THE DECLINE.
ANOTHER LANDMARK STUDY BY THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS, SHOWS THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK) WILDLIFE’S DEVASTATING DECLINE. STATE OF NATURE, THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON UK WILDLIFE, SHOWS THAT THE SPECIES STUDIED, HAVE ON AVERAGE DECLINED BY 19% SINCE MONITORING BEGAN IN 1970. REPTILES, FUNGI AND LICHENS, AND TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS HAVE DECLINED AT AN EVEN HIGHER RATE. THE REPORT, ALSO, STATES THAT THE IMPORTANT HABITATS FOR UK’S NATURE ARE IN POOR CONDITION, BUT LIMITED RESTORATION PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY AND BENEFIT NATURE AND PEOPLE, AS WELL AS CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION. NUMEROUS SPECIES ARE CURRENTLY AT RISK OF EXTINCTION. CRAIG BENNETT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS, POINTS OUT, “THERE IS FAR TOO MUCH AT STAKE. WE DESPERATELY NEED BETTER POLICIES THAT FUND NATURE-FRIENDLY FARMING PROPERLY, END THE POISONING OF LAKES AND RIVERS, AND CREATE LARGER WILD AND MORE NATURE AREAS - INCLUDING TOWNS AND CITIES.” THE STUDY OF NATURE REPORT CONCLUDED THAT WE HAVE KNOWN LONG BEFORE WIDESPREAD MONITORING BEGAN, THAT THE UNITED KINGDOMS BIODIVERSITY HAD BEEN SERIOUSLY DEPLETED BY CENTURIES OF HABITAT LOSS, UNSUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES, DEVELOPMENT AND PERSECUTION. THE RESULT IS, DUE TO HUMAN ACTIVITY, THE UNITED KINGDOM NOW HAS LESS THAN HALF THE BIODIVERSITY IT ONCE HAD.
BECCY SPEIGHT, THE RSPB’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE STATED,” THE UNITED KINGDOM’S WILDLIFE IS BETTER STUDIED THAN IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND WHAT THE DATA TELLS US SHOULD MAKE US SET UP AND LISTEN, WHAT IS CLEAR, IS THAT PROGRESS TO PROTECT OUR SPECIES AND HABITATS HAS NOT BEEN SUFFICIENT.” “WE NEED TO MOVE FAR FASTER AS A SOCIETY TOWARDS NATURE-FRIENDLY LAND AND SEA USE.”
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ARE UNCOVERING THE TRUTH AND SOUNDING THE ALARM, BUT ARE WE LISTENING? THE IMPACTS UPON NATURE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ARE OCCURRING WORLDWIDE. RECENT REPORTS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT ONLY THREE PERCENT OF THE ECOSYSTEMS WORLDWIDE REMAIN IN BALANCE AND PROPERLY FUNCTIONING.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ABOUT TEN MILLION DIFFERENT SPECIES ON PLANT EARTH, AND SCIENCE ESTIMATES THERE COULD BE AS HIGH AS 80 TO 100 MILLION DIFFERENT ORGANISMS THAT ACTUALLY LIVE ON EARTH. BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF SPECIES IDENTIFIED SO FAR, AND THE ANNUAL EXTINCTION RATE; THE SPECIES ANNUAL EXTINCTION RATE COULD VARY ANY WHERE FROM 3000 TO 10 MILLION. THE ONLY THING WE ARE SURE OF IS THAT THE EXTINCTION RATE IS INCREASING AT A MORE RAPID RATE THAN IS DESIRABLE, RESULTING IN SPECIES EXTINCTION HAVING AN INCREASED ADVERSE EFFECT ON ECOSYSTEM BALANCE AND FUNCTION.
OUR HUMAN CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD IS VITAL FOR SUSTAINING LIFE ON EARTH, AND HAS REACHED A CRITICAL STAGE AS A RESULT OF HUMAN OVER-POPULATION AND OUR DEMAND FOR RESOURCES AND ENERGY. THE LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY AND THE OVER-HARVESTING OF RESOURCES HAS REACHED A CRITICAL POINT. A RECENT PUBLICATION BY THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, STATES THAT, “HUMANITY IS CAUSING DANGEROUS DECLINES IN NATURE”. THEY LIST SEVEN FACTS THAT IDENTIFY THE CURRENT STATE OF THE NATURAL WORLD.
THESE FACTS SHOULD BE A MAJOR CALL TO ACTION. WHAT IS HAPPENING PROVIDES THE INSIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF MANKIND. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND GENERIC ENGINEERING WILL NOT REPLACE OR RE-ESTABLISH NATURE, ONLY HUMANS CAN MAKE THE REQUIRED CHANGES.
ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY BY MILES RICHARDSON, A PROFESSOR OF NATURE CONNECTEDNESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DERBY IN ENGLAND; THE HUMAN CONNECTION WITH NATURE HAS DECLINED BY 60% SINCE 1800. RICHARDSON ARRIVED AT HIS CONCLUSIONS BY USING DATA ON URBANIZATION, LOSS OF WILDLIFE SPECIES, PARTICULARLY URBAN SPECIES AND PARENTS NO-LONGER PASSING ON ENGAGEMENTS WITH NATURE TO THEIR CHILDREN. RICHARDSON IDENTIFIED THE DISAPPEARANCES OF NATURE WORDS IN BOOKS AS A MAJOR ISSUE WHICH PEAKED AT A 60.6% LOSS IN 1990. HIS MODEL PREDICTS AN ONGOING “EXTINCTION OF EXPERIENCE” AS FUTURE GENERATIONS CONTINUE TO LOSE AN AWARENESS OF NATURE. MUCH OF THE LOSE IS DUE TO THE INCREASING URBANIZATION OF THE WORLD POPULATION.
“NATURE CONNECTEDNESS IS NOW ACCEPTED AS A KEY ROOT CAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS”, SAID RICHARDSON. “IT’S VITALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR OWN MEDAL HEALTH AS WELL. IT UNITES PEOPLE AND NATURE’S WELL-BEING. THERE’S NEED FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IF WE’RE GOING TO CHANGE SOCIETY’S RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE.”
THE STUDY GOES ON TO POINT OUT THAT MINOR ADJUSTMENTS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS. MAJOR CHANGES WILL BE NECESSARY, THEREBY COMPLICATING THE SOLUTIONS. MOST EFFECTIVE, ACCORDING TO THE STUDY, ARE MEASURES INSTILLING AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT IN OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES. COMPLICATING THE ISSUE; THE MODELLING SHOWS THAT POLICIES TO TRANSFORM EARLY EDUCATION AND URBAN GREENING NEED TO BE IN PLACE OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS TO REVERSE THE DECLINE.
ANOTHER LANDMARK STUDY BY THE WILDLIFE TRUSTS, SHOWS THE UNITED KINGDOM (UK) WILDLIFE’S DEVASTATING DECLINE. STATE OF NATURE, THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON UK WILDLIFE, SHOWS THAT THE SPECIES STUDIED, HAVE ON AVERAGE DECLINED BY 19% SINCE MONITORING BEGAN IN 1970. REPTILES, FUNGI AND LICHENS, AND TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS HAVE DECLINED AT AN EVEN HIGHER RATE. THE REPORT, ALSO, STATES THAT THE IMPORTANT HABITATS FOR UK’S NATURE ARE IN POOR CONDITION, BUT LIMITED RESTORATION PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY AND BENEFIT NATURE AND PEOPLE, AS WELL AS CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION. NUMEROUS SPECIES ARE CURRENTLY AT RISK OF EXTINCTION. CRAIG BENNETT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF WILDLIFE TRUSTS, POINTS OUT, “THERE IS FAR TOO MUCH AT STAKE. WE DESPERATELY NEED BETTER POLICIES THAT FUND NATURE-FRIENDLY FARMING PROPERLY, END THE POISONING OF LAKES AND RIVERS, AND CREATE LARGER WILD AND MORE NATURE AREAS - INCLUDING TOWNS AND CITIES.” THE STUDY OF NATURE REPORT CONCLUDED THAT WE HAVE KNOWN LONG BEFORE WIDESPREAD MONITORING BEGAN, THAT THE UNITED KINGDOMS BIODIVERSITY HAD BEEN SERIOUSLY DEPLETED BY CENTURIES OF HABITAT LOSS, UNSUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES, DEVELOPMENT AND PERSECUTION. THE RESULT IS, DUE TO HUMAN ACTIVITY, THE UNITED KINGDOM NOW HAS LESS THAN HALF THE BIODIVERSITY IT ONCE HAD.
BECCY SPEIGHT, THE RSPB’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE STATED,” THE UNITED KINGDOM’S WILDLIFE IS BETTER STUDIED THAN IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND WHAT THE DATA TELLS US SHOULD MAKE US SET UP AND LISTEN, WHAT IS CLEAR, IS THAT PROGRESS TO PROTECT OUR SPECIES AND HABITATS HAS NOT BEEN SUFFICIENT.” “WE NEED TO MOVE FAR FASTER AS A SOCIETY TOWARDS NATURE-FRIENDLY LAND AND SEA USE.”
SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ARE UNCOVERING THE TRUTH AND SOUNDING THE ALARM, BUT ARE WE LISTENING? THE IMPACTS UPON NATURE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM ARE OCCURRING WORLDWIDE. RECENT REPORTS HAVE CONCLUDED THAT ONLY THREE PERCENT OF THE ECOSYSTEMS WORLDWIDE REMAIN IN BALANCE AND PROPERLY FUNCTIONING.
WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ABOUT TEN MILLION DIFFERENT SPECIES ON PLANT EARTH, AND SCIENCE ESTIMATES THERE COULD BE AS HIGH AS 80 TO 100 MILLION DIFFERENT ORGANISMS THAT ACTUALLY LIVE ON EARTH. BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF SPECIES IDENTIFIED SO FAR, AND THE ANNUAL EXTINCTION RATE; THE SPECIES ANNUAL EXTINCTION RATE COULD VARY ANY WHERE FROM 3000 TO 10 MILLION. THE ONLY THING WE ARE SURE OF IS THAT THE EXTINCTION RATE IS INCREASING AT A MORE RAPID RATE THAN IS DESIRABLE, RESULTING IN SPECIES EXTINCTION HAVING AN INCREASED ADVERSE EFFECT ON ECOSYSTEM BALANCE AND FUNCTION.
OUR HUMAN CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD IS VITAL FOR SUSTAINING LIFE ON EARTH, AND HAS REACHED A CRITICAL STAGE AS A RESULT OF HUMAN OVER-POPULATION AND OUR DEMAND FOR RESOURCES AND ENERGY. THE LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY AND THE OVER-HARVESTING OF RESOURCES HAS REACHED A CRITICAL POINT. A RECENT PUBLICATION BY THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE, STATES THAT, “HUMANITY IS CAUSING DANGEROUS DECLINES IN NATURE”. THEY LIST SEVEN FACTS THAT IDENTIFY THE CURRENT STATE OF THE NATURAL WORLD.
- WE ARE USING THE EQUIVALENT OF 1.6 EARTHS TO MAINTAIN OUR CURRENT WAY OF LIFE AND ECOSYSTEMS CANNOT MEET OUR DEMANDS.
- 1 MILLION OF EARTHS 8 MILLION SPECIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS ARE THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION.
- 75% OF EARTH’S LAND SURFACE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED BY HUMAN ACTION, INCLUDING 85% OF WETLAND AREAS.
- 66% OF OUR OCEAN AREAS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING FISH HARVESTING AND POLLUTION.
- ALMOST 90% OF THE WORLDS FISH STOCKS ARE FULLY EXPLOITED, OVER-EXPLOITED OR DEPLETED.
- AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION ACCOUNTS FOR 70% OF THE PROJECTED LOSS OF TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY.
- GLOBAL FOOD SYSTEMS, THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS WITH AGRICULTURE, IS THREATENING THE EXTINCTION OF 24 TO 28 THOUSAND SPECIES.
THESE FACTS SHOULD BE A MAJOR CALL TO ACTION. WHAT IS HAPPENING PROVIDES THE INSIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF MANKIND. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY AND GENERIC ENGINEERING WILL NOT REPLACE OR RE-ESTABLISH NATURE, ONLY HUMANS CAN MAKE THE REQUIRED CHANGES.