Human life at risk, warn 15,000 scientists
HUMAN life is at growing risk from a range of environmental disasters, scientists warned yesterday.
Extinction of plant and animal species, loss of trees, water shortages and catastrophic climate change were all listed by the 15,000-strong Union of Concerned Scientists. They said since 1992 there had been progress in just one risk area: reducing damage to the ozone layer.
Runaway consumption of limited resources by a surging global population was cited as the biggest danger.
They pointed out that fresh water supplies had fallen by 26 per cent per person and 300million acres of forest had been lost, mostly to make way for agricultural land. Carbon emissions and average temperatures have risen significantly while the number of animals has fallen by 29 per cent.
The union made a similar warning – signed by 1,500 scientists in 1992 – which looked at the same measures.
Now, writing in the journal BioScience, they said: ‘Humanity is now being given a second notice. We are jeopardising our future by not reining in our intense but geographically and demographically uneven material consumption and by not perceiving continued rapid population growth as a primary driver behind many ecological and even societal threats. Humanity is not taking the urgent steps needed to safeguard our imperilled biosphere.’
UK scientists signing the letter included Dame Jane Goodall, the leading researcher in chimpanzees who is based in Kenya.
Their ‘viewpoint’ article won the support of 15,364 experts in 184 countries.
The authors drew on data from government agencies, non-profit organisations and individual researchers to set out their case that environmental impacts were likely to inflict ‘substantial and irreversible harm’ to the Earth. William Ripple, a professor of ecology at Oregon State University, said: ‘Those who signed this second warning aren’t just raising a false alarm. They are acknowledging the obvious signs that we are heading down an unsustainable path.’
Scientists revealed yesterday that carbon dioxide emissions have risen in 2017 to record highs. The 2 per cent rise follows three years in which the world saw little to no growth, raising hopes that they were peaking and could fall. This year’s rise is largely due to increased coal use in China.