After all, we share the planet with around nine million species of plants and animals. As ecosystems falter, species large and small will come increasingly under strain , and will need to adapt or perish. Many will go extinct, whereupon it will take millions of years for Earth to recover its breadth and depth of biodiversity.
With the planet fundamentally and irreversibly changed, the implications for humanity itself would be immediate and far-reaching. To prevent such a scenario, we first must remember that the Paris climate accord was always a half-deal: it addresses the causes of global warming, but not the threat to natural systems upon which all life depends. Yet studies show that by , we must protect twice as much land and four times as much ocean just to secure essential ecosystems and avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change.
Protecting natural areas, then, is the missing link to maintaining prosperity in a warming world. In anticipation of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity summit in Kunming, China, later this year, scientists and other stakeholders have developed the Global Deal for Nature. In the next decade, we need to achieve more in terms of conservation than we have accomplished over the past century.
Reaching this goal requires a rapid and collective acceleration of conservation efforts worldwide. Just as important as the amount of protected land and water is the diversity and health of natural areas. Land-based protections must safeguard the ecosystems required to support threatened species, mitigate climate change, and safeguard biodiversity. And in the ocean, avoiding species collapse and maintaining sustainable fisheries requires comprehensive protections for critical habitats, threatened species, and migratory corridors.
Skeptics will argue that we need to use the land and oceans to feed the projected ten billion people who will share the planet by , and that the proposed protections are too expensive or challenging. As teenagers, sometimes we feel helpless and powerless, unable to take action, or do things that really matter to us, since governments and large corporations are the ones taking vital decisions.
While major changes are only possible if countries and corporations alter their policies and actions, we as individuals also have the potential to make a difference, whether through small actions, or larger initiatives.
Here are some ways in which you can take control of your future, and protect our environment and ecosystems:. There are several ways in which you can get involved, from running online awareness campaigns, to offering practical help like beach clean-ups, and fundraising events. What do you do with your old textbooks and novels that are not in use?
Why not donate them to juniors, or kids in your neighborhood, or send them across to countries where children have little to no access to educational resources. Similarly recycling unwanted paper will reduce the raw material demand for paper production, thus conserving trees and forest ecosystems. By making use of smart technologies that are available today, we can effortlessly shift away from paper-based activities, at all levels.
Recycling is a simple, yet effective way of conserving resources and reducing your individual carbon footprint. Rather than throwing everything in the trash, separate your plastic, paper, and metal waste, and deposit it in a recycling bin.
Recycling helps reduce landfill pollution, raw materials and fossil fuel consumption, and generates a circular economy. Did you know that only 0. By doing simple things like taking shorter showers, avoiding small clothes washes, and turning your taps off while brushing, you can save gallons of water!
While public and private entities plan the transition to sustainable alternatives, by doing our bit at homes and offices, we can reduce fossil fuel dependency.
Plastic is one of the most significant contributors to soil and marine pollution, endangering both the land and marine life. The future for those first time and second time voters, the future of our children, the future of our planet. Perhaps we should look to Wales.
Back in , the Welsh Government created an Act dedicated to safeguarding the future from short-term thinking, known as the Well-being of Future Generations Wales Act. This means that all public bodies in Wales now need to consider how their decisions and policies help towards the goals under the Act.
These goals include a resilient Wales and a globally responsible Wales. This will help us avoid the use of single-use plastic bottles which are non-biodegradable. Luckily, specialized zero-waste stores make it easier to purchase essential items without contributing to landfills. If we use too many chemicals in our farms, the chemicals end up in the soil and water bodies. Some of these chemicals can negatively affect some plants and animals, as well as human life.
Also, industrial chemicals that sometimes find their way into rivers and oceans can sometimes cause harmful and even fatal effects within the ecosystem.
Not caring for our environment translates to pollution and degradation of the environment. If for instance, we pollute the sources of clean water, it means that we will have less clean water for consumption.
Water is a necessary element of life and, there is no life without it. The cars we drive, the industries and energy plants, all produce harmful gases to the environment. The more polluted the atmosphere is, the more challenges and diseases we will face. In a study by the UN, they suggest that around , to , deaths occur each year as a result of air pollution. Air pollution causes numerous chronic health issues that are sometimes fatal to humanity.
Things like acid rain are also due to pollution, and they affect both plants and animals. Air pollution will also lead to global warming, which will, in turn, lead to floods, intense storms, and change in weather patterns. Sometimes we leave waste material lying around anywhere.
These dumping sites can be breeding spots for dangerous bacteria and diseases. All these are harmful to us and future generations. Some solid wastes also block water passages and drainage, which also poses a great danger to human life.
Continued deforestation and mining are some of the activities that lower soil quality. Low soil quality means less food production and therefore, food crisis for the population. Soil degradation is a serious factor in food production and that if not well addressed will cause food scarcity. Deforestation also translates to less rainfall which not only reduces the amount of clean water but also the quantity of food production. No rain, less food. Less biodiversity implies that we will lack some essential requirements in life.
For instance, some medicinal plants may get extinct, which can be a great loss for us. Also, it will affect the beauty of our environment, and we can no longer enjoy the serene environment with various plants and animals that we previously knew.
If you thought we had a choice, then too bad. Caring for our environment is a must.
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