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Ecological crisis: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Planetary Boundaries.png|alt=Planetary Boundaries|thumb|Planetary Boundaries<ref name=":1">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2020.615419/full</ref>]] | [[File:Planetary Boundaries.png|alt=Planetary Boundaries|thumb|Planetary Boundaries<ref name=":1">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcosc.2020.615419/full</ref>]] | ||
'''In the 1960s, humans took about three-quarters of what the planet could regenerate annually.'''<ref name=":1" /> '''By 2016 this rose to 170 percent. | '''In the 1960s, humans took about three-quarters of what the planet could regenerate annually.'''<ref name=":1" /> '''By 2016 this rose to 170 percent. We are now amidst,''' a race between a how fast we can get to a social tipping point versus the time it takes to reach a global ecological tipping point. The accelerant towards this is fueled by: | ||
* '''Climate change''' - s''ince records began in 1880, nineteen of the twenty hottest years have occurred since 2000''<ref>NASA, Global Temperature: https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/global-temperature/</ref>''.'' | * '''Climate change''' - s''ince records began in 1880, nineteen of the twenty hottest years have occurred since 2000''<ref>NASA, Global Temperature: https://climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/global-temperature/</ref>''.'' | ||
*'''Biodiversity loss''' - there has been a 68% average decline in the population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish between 1970 and 2016<ref>IPBES, Media Release, Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’ May 2019</ref>. | *'''Biodiversity loss''' - there has been a 68% average decline in the population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish between 1970 and 2016<ref>IPBES, Media Release, Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’ May 2019</ref>. | ||
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*'''Deforestation''' - more than half the world’s tropical forests have been destroyed since the 1960s<ref>International Union for Conservation of Nature. (2021, February). ''Deforestation and forest degradation''. <nowiki>https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/deforestation-and-forest-degradation</nowiki></ref>. | *'''Deforestation''' - more than half the world’s tropical forests have been destroyed since the 1960s<ref>International Union for Conservation of Nature. (2021, February). ''Deforestation and forest degradation''. <nowiki>https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/deforestation-and-forest-degradation</nowiki></ref>. | ||
* '''Ocean acidification''' - more CO2 in the atmosphere means more acidity in the oceans. | * '''Ocean acidification''' - more CO2 in the atmosphere means more acidity in the oceans. | ||
* '''Microplastics via overconsumption''' - ''humanity is running an ecological Ponzi scheme in which society robs nature and future generations to pay for boosting incomes in the short term.''<ref name=":0" /> | * '''Microplastics via overconsumption''' - ''humanity is running an ecological Ponzi scheme in which society robs nature and future generations to pay for boosting incomes in the short term.''<ref name=":0">Yale Environment 360: Avoiding a ‘Ghastly Future’: Hard Truths on the State of the Planet. Accessed on 3rd March 2022 via:https://e360.yale.edu/features/avoiding-a-ghastly-future-hard-truths-on-the-state-of-the-planet</ref> | ||
*'''Ozone depletion, the phosphorus cycle...''' | *'''Ozone depletion, the phosphorus cycle...''' | ||
We are overstepping our [[wikipedia:Breaking_Boundaries|planetary boundaries]] (great documentary) pushing us to specific tipping points: | We are overstepping our [[wikipedia:Breaking_Boundaries|planetary boundaries]] (great documentary) pushing us to specific tipping points: | ||
* | * | ||
All of these issues combined are accelerating us towards [[collapse]]. | All of these issues combined are accelerating us towards [[collapse]]. | ||