Earth is near ‘biophysical limits’

earth-is-near-biophysical-limits

Earth’s environmental systems are nearly reaching their biophysical limits. According to latest UN report, they are portending irreversible and possibly cataclysmic world changes. The Global Environment Outlook report said that these limits are close and have in some cases been exceeded. Environmental disasters are pushing our planet to an ecological tipping point that could change life as we know it, the U.N. Environment Program said in a report released in Rio de Janeiro. Arctic and Antarctic sea ice and ice sheet shrinkage, Amazon rainforest deforestation, ozone depletion and an escalation of planetary toxins are main reason for the situation.

If humanity does not urgently change its ways, several critical thresholds will likely be breached, causing abrupt and generally irreversible negative changes to human well-being and planetary life-support functions, the report warned.

The 550-page report — produced over three years and involving 600 experts who built up a detailed picture of the world’s well-being — identified areas of progress, including the expansion of protected areas such as national parks. But it detected little or no progress in 24 of the 90 most important environmental goals and objectives areas, including climate change, fish stocks, and desertification and drought.

The report says about 20 percent of vertebrate species are under threat of extinction, coral reefs have declined by 38 percent since 1980, greenhouse-gas emissions could double over the next 50 years, and 90 percent of water and fish samples from aquatic environments are contaminated by pesticides.

The United Nations is to convene a Conference on Sustainable Development, known as Rio 2012 or Rio+20, in Rio de Janeiro June 20-21. The conference is a 20-year follow-up to 1992 U.N. Conference on Environment and Development also held in Rio de Janeiro.

Read the full report

Featured image credit: GrassPortal

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

4 Comments

  1. So the Powers That Be don’t care for what they have created. Well tough shit for them. They should be the first ones to eat the green pill for what they have suppressed as for innovations in energy creation, proper use of weather modification tools aka HAARP and advanced technologies which would have made better use of the earth’s natural resources which would have made for a more benevolent outcome. But here we are, the sky is falling and you dumb sheeple will just have to depopulate so we elite can have our cake.

  2. welll. maybe we are so unconscious until we really can clearly see with our eyes the result of our own decisions made. i say this becuase i as a human bein behave like that. i enlighte my self, and realize totally, the beahavior i am having when i can see the consecuenses of what i have done. this is life on earth. we live according to our esperience and not to our predictions even when they are scientifically made. we can change only when we see the planet on almost uncontrovetial collapse. only that time we realize and our consciousnee will immediately suggest that it is time to make something real different. i hope it will be still in time. if not. life has been a nice thing on earth. ther are many planet where life can go and grows. donot forget. we are not the only living being in the universe. donot be like that. we are some in a million of species living the universe. that is all folks. bye

  3. We are all part of a single sentient being “The Planet” with “us” just individual pockets of consciousness within it. It’s not rocket science if we poison the planet we’re poisoning ourselves. Why do we let this happen? Borders,Language,Religion,Fear,and anything else that keeps the populace divided, Until we unite as a people without the fear and hatred that has been created by unscrupulous “leaders/despots” we are DOOMED to keep making the same mistakes again and again.. The one pure language left is MATHEMATICS..There are no lies, differences, or fears only enlightenment….. Knowledge is power….

  4. WE ARE THE LAST GENERATION TO HAVE IT ALL. WE LET IT HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. WE MADE DECISIONS FOR ECO-NOMY NOT ON OUR SURVIVAL. FORGETTING THAT MONEY IS NOT LIFE BUT LIVING IS LIFE. WE LET THE DOOR CLOSE ON OUR FUTURE WHILE WE DROVE TO WORK OR WATCHED THE LATEST FOOTBALL SCORES. WE LET IT HAPPEN BECAUSE WE WERE TOO BUSY, TO IGNORANT AND TOO SELFISH. YOU CANNOT FIX IT NOW. THERE IS NO REMEDY FOR A POLLUTED RIVER, OCEAN OR SKY. MAY FUTURE GENERATIONS NOT WASTE THEIR ENERGIES ON HATING US.

Leave a Reply to james day Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *