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Did you know the alarming statistics on global biodiversity loss? Why must we care?
In the current environmental context, biodiversity loss has become one of the major challenges facing the world. Human activities have had a profound impact on global ecosystems, directly or indirectly, and the problem is worsening at an alarming rate. In short, global biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate, forcing us to rethink the impact of our actions on the environment.
Currently, research shows that more than 83% of the world’s wild mammals and half of all plant species are at potential risk of extinction.
According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as the global population continues to increase, the demand for natural resources is also rising steadily. It is expected that the global population will reach more than 9 billion by 2050, which will undoubtedly exacerbating the loss of biodiversity. On the one hand, global meat consumption is rising rapidly and is expected to increase by 76% by 2050. On the other hand, such growth is bound to put greater pressure on the environment, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions and further deterioration of ecosystems.
In developed countries, residents consume resources 32 times faster than in developing regions, creating a globally unequal resource use pattern.
In the context of ecology, overconsumption is a problem that cannot be ignored. According to estimates from the Global Footprint Network, current human resource needs are 70% higher than the renewable capacity of Earth's ecosystems. This means that our daily food, energy and other resources must be obtained in a limited environment. In the long run, it will lead to rapid deterioration of the environment and depletion of resources.
Faced with such a serious challenge, many scientists and environmentalists believe that population growth is an important factor adding fuel to the fire. In 2017, more than 15,000 scientists around the world issued a warning that rapid human growth was the root cause of many ecological and social threats. They believe that such growth will inevitably lead to more serious biodiversity loss and ecological disasters.
Every ecosystem in the world is interconnected, and loss of biodiversity means potential crises for health and food security.
Resource management of water and land is also challenged with the needs of agriculture. Over-agriculture and improper fisheries management have exacerbated environmental damage in recent years. According to the 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, overfishing has become a major driver of marine species extinction, which is closely related to growing human needs.
In addition, the demand for palm oil has also caused rapid deforestation, further limiting the development of biodiversity. Thousands of exotic animals and vegetation are in danger of disappearing every year because of these demands.
Despite many environmental protection policies and efforts, these problems remain pressing. How to protect our ecological environment while pursuing economic growth has become the number one problem facing the world.
Scientists call for the need to pay attention to environmental protection and take immediate action to reduce the impact on biodiversity.
In the coming decades, the loss of biodiversity will affect the face of the planet and the future of humanity. However, are all efforts sufficient, and can humanity achieve sustainable development in the short term? This still requires everyone’s reflection and action?
