<
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2021/04/22/earth-day-biodiversity/>
"Humans have put our planet on a path toward disaster. If people keep polluting
at the current rate, scientists say, climate change will cause prolonged
droughts, devastating storms, collapsing ecosystems and vanishing species.
Coastal cities will be deluged by sea level rise; widespread food and water
shortages will lead to the deaths of millions. To avoid this fate, civilization
must rapidly transform — cutting carbon emissions 40 percent by 2030 and
reaching “net zero” by the middle of the century.
Earth itself is our greatest ally in this effort. Ecosystems like California’s
kelp forests absorb about half of the greenhouse gases humans emit, studies
show. Without them, warming would be even worse. Nature shields us from the
worst consequences of our own actions, forgiving the sins we refuse to repent.
But it cannot endure endless abuse. Life on Earth is threatened by
overexploitation, pollution and habitat degradation, in addition to rising
temperatures. The fraction of the planet that is undisturbed by human
activities shrinks every year.
If we hope to solve climate change, humanity must also address this
biodiversity crisis — restoring ecosystems and the creatures that inhabit them.
Otherwise, our species risks becoming like the sea urchins: agents of our own
suffering, looters of the only home we have."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
