DYSTOPIAN FUTURE
By: Karan Anand
Humans have destroyed a tenth of Earth’s remaining wilderness in the last 25 years and there may be none left within a century if trends continue, according to an authoritative new study.
Researchers found a vast area the size of two Alaskas – 3.3m square kilometres – had been tarnished by human activities between 1993 and today, which experts said was a “shockingly bad” and “profoundly large number”.
The Amazon accounted for nearly a third of the “catastrophic” loss, showing huge tracts of pristine rainforest are still being disrupted despite the Brazilian government slowing deforestation rates in recent years. A further 14% disappeared in central Africa, home to thousands of species including forest elephants and chimpanzees.
Our natural ecosystems are finding it hard to cope with the different pressures and are unable to adjust. If we continue depleting resources and destroying our environment, soon it will be too late for them to recover, even with our help.
When we’ve mined what we can from our planet, when all animals have died, when there are no more fish in the sea, when the Earth is barren and devoid of trees… what will happen to us?
• Increased flooding due to the erosion of soil and lack of trees
• Rising of the sea levels due to the melting of the glaciers, caused by Global Warming
• Disruption of the food chain when the apex predators become extinct
• Water shortage - we only have a finite supply of fresh drinking water
• Food shortage as the lands become barren and the oceans become fishless
• Loss of biodiversity as whole species of living things disappear due to deforestation
• Pollution will eventually become unmanageable and affect our health.
• Rising temperatures may be too much for all living things on the planet
Although things appear to be bleak for the entire planet, this is not the last leg of the race. We need to unite , put aside our petty differences and strive to ensure the survival of this planet .
By: Karan Anand
Humans have destroyed a tenth of Earth’s remaining wilderness in the last 25 years and there may be none left within a century if trends continue, according to an authoritative new study.
Researchers found a vast area the size of two Alaskas – 3.3m square kilometres – had been tarnished by human activities between 1993 and today, which experts said was a “shockingly bad” and “profoundly large number”.
The Amazon accounted for nearly a third of the “catastrophic” loss, showing huge tracts of pristine rainforest are still being disrupted despite the Brazilian government slowing deforestation rates in recent years. A further 14% disappeared in central Africa, home to thousands of species including forest elephants and chimpanzees.
Our natural ecosystems are finding it hard to cope with the different pressures and are unable to adjust. If we continue depleting resources and destroying our environment, soon it will be too late for them to recover, even with our help.
When we’ve mined what we can from our planet, when all animals have died, when there are no more fish in the sea, when the Earth is barren and devoid of trees… what will happen to us?
• Increased flooding due to the erosion of soil and lack of trees
• Rising of the sea levels due to the melting of the glaciers, caused by Global Warming
• Disruption of the food chain when the apex predators become extinct
• Water shortage - we only have a finite supply of fresh drinking water
• Food shortage as the lands become barren and the oceans become fishless
• Loss of biodiversity as whole species of living things disappear due to deforestation
• Pollution will eventually become unmanageable and affect our health.
• Rising temperatures may be too much for all living things on the planet
Although things appear to be bleak for the entire planet, this is not the last leg of the race. We need to unite , put aside our petty differences and strive to ensure the survival of this planet .
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