Environment
Introduction
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Environment
Introduction
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Human impacts on the natural world are both more apparent and more widespread than ever before in human history. It is increasingly more difficult to clean up existing environmental disasters and halt further degradation of important natural resources. But public awareness about the key role that we can play in protecting nature and natural processes is growing. Destruction and protection hang in the balance at this crucial time in human history.
As we scan the globe, signs of environmental degradation are everywhere. Almost 40 percent of the Earth’s surface has been converted to cropland or pasture and half of the tropical forests have been destroyed or degraded. Past productive pasturelands are turning into deserts at an alarming rate while low-lying coastal areas appear to be threatened by flooding from the effects of global warming.
In the atmosphere surrounding us, the protective ozone layer has been damaged, but not irreparably. Power plant and automotive emissions create widespread air pollution; in a number of the world’s largest cities, the air quality is frequently below international health standards. Fresh water is declining in quality and quantity.
Globally, an estimated three unique plant and animal species go extinct every hour. As a result of over fishing, many species of fish exist only in small, isolated pockets in the oceans of the world. Plant species that form a natural pharmacological laboratory are disappearing with the tropical rainforests.
As world population grows, one of the
biggest questions we must ask is: how many people can the Earth and
its environment support? This “carrying capacity” of the
globe is affected by the way we use its resources and protect the environment.
Ultimately, the environmental footprint of each of the Earth’s
inhabitants will determine how many people the globe can sustain. Today,
the average human footprint is estimated to be just over 7 acres, while
the available ecological space is only 5.5 acres. The collective human
footprint is bound to have a significantly negative impact on the environment.
The current environmental crisis offers an opportunity for the economic
engines of the world to convert to environmentally sustainable practices
that are, in fact, good business. As a result we’re beginning
to craft approaches to protect this fragile natural world. This means
addressing the root causes of environmental degradation:
1) Economic and social policies that promote the over-consumption and
the unsustainable production models of rich countries; and,
2) Economic and social inequalities in poor countries.
A remediation economy offers numerous benefits not just to the environment but also to all of the Earth’s inhabitants. It brings with it the promise of improved employment and a narrowing of the gap between rich and poor as well as enhanced food and water security and adequate health care. Environmental remediation is a major leverage point for global change.