Humanity threatens his own well-being by overuse of the planet

File Photo, AFP

AFP

Friday, 23 march, 2018 09:35

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Friday, 23 march, 2018 09:39

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MEDELLIN – Humanity threatens his own well-being by overuse of the planet, and causing a decline of wildlife and flora in all regions of the world, in the face of extinction of major species, the first since the disappearance of the dinosaurs, according to a large scientific investigation revealed Friday.

“We are in the process of sabotaging our own future well-being! “said to the AFP Robert Watson, chair of the intergovernmental Platform on biodiversity and ecosystem services (IPBES), the origin of this investigation.

If nothing is done to curb the trend, the resource of fish in the Asia-Pacific region will thus be depleted within 30 years and up to 90% of its corals to be seriously damaged by 2050. In Africa, more than half of the species of birds and mammals that will be lost by 2100, warns the study, compiled for the IPBES in four huge regional reports.

“Biodiversity –the essential variety of life forms on Earth– continues to decline in every region of the world, significantly reducing the ability of Nature to contribute to the well-being of the population. This is an alarming trend that threatens the economies, livelihoods, food security and the quality of life of people everywhere throughout the world, are highlighted in these reports long range of 600 to 900 pages.

During three years, more than 550 researchers have worked voluntarily on these regional assessments, which summarize the data of approximately 10,000 scientific publications on the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Europe and central Asia. The final result covers the whole of the Earth, apart from the international waters of the oceans and the Antarctic.

The environment is not a luxury

The reports have been scrutinized by more than 750 experts and decision-makers 115 of the 129 countries that are members of the IPBES meeting all week behind closed doors in Medellin, Colombia. They have written summaries of some thirty pages each, negotiated word by word, to guide the leaders in the field of protection of biodiversity.

“Too many people still think that the environment is a luxury. But this is not the case! “said Mr. Watson, in making the link between” biodiversity and climate change that we must consider together.”

In Europe and central Asia, ” the population of the region consumes more renewable natural resources than it produces “, for his part, said the professor, switzerland Markus Fischer.

Before this Life session, IPBES had already warned that the Earth is facing a “mass extinction” of species, the first since the demise of the dinosaurs approximately 65 million years and the sixth in 500 million years.

“With the increasing effects of climate change ( … ), this loss could reach 40% by 2050” in the Americas, where it already amounts to 31%, she pointed out Friday for this region.

Over the past century, two species of vertebrates have disappeared every year on average on the Earth. Another is on the verge of disappearing with the recent death of Sudan, famous white rhinoceros in Kenya, and last male of his species, decimated by poaching and of which there remain only two females.

– First extinction due to humans -” If we continue so, yes, the sixth extinction, the first caused by humans, is going to continue! “warned Mr. Watson, adding, however, that” the good news is, this is (…) that it is not too late.”

Because the reports of the IPBES also suggest avenues to minimize the impact of human activities on the environment: creating more protected areas, restore degraded areas, and develop sustainable agriculture.

“We need to take biodiversity into account in the way we manage agriculture, the fishing, the forest, the earth “, explained the president of the IPBES, recognizing that the world population will continue to grow, so its needs also.

“The world wastes about 40% of the food it produces (…) If we could reduce food waste, we will not necessarily double its production in the next 50 years,” he suggested.

On Monday, the IPBES will launch a fifth report, the first of its kind on the state of the soil of the planet, degraded by pollution, deforestation, mining, and unsustainable agricultural practices.

This summit meeting is held in the country the most bio-diverse on the planet after Brazil, eight times larger. In the opening of the 17 march, the colombian president Juan Manuel Santos had highlighted that ” what happens to one happens to all. “