chap3 English( the ailing planet)
-why do we have to make sure that development does not leave the earth with no resources?
Answers
Environmental sustainability is one of the biggest issues faced by the mankind at present. Increasing population along with tremendous escalation in anthropogenic activities has raised several questions on the sustainability of natural resources on our planet. No part of the Earth is now untouched by the effect of human activities or pollution. Ever increasing human population and increment in per capita consumption has put great constraint on the natural resources. In addition to this, urbanization, industrialization and modern agricultural practices have polluted the water resources, air and soil all around the globe. The natural resources are thus not only being over-exploited but also becoming contaminated with toxic chemicals making it difficult for the survival of future generations.
The ever increasing emission of green house gases is showing far reaching impact on the blue planet and according to estimates of various agencies such as United States Development Authority (USDA) and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) this will result in rise in temperature by 02 °C by 2050. This has and will further change the face of the earth. Due to the impact of global warming, glaciers and polar ice is melting at rates 2–3 times higher in comparison to last century. According to estimates, Earth at present is going through one of the biggest biodiversity loss phase, the impact of which is unforeseen and unpredictable. As per a United Nations report the human-caused rate of extinction of species of both plants and animals at present is hundreds of times higher than the natural rate in the past and as the situation is turning out it can be thousands of times higher in near future. As an example it is estimated that the rate at which coral reefs are depleting, they will be completely wiped out in very near future and with them several other species will also become extinct.
Targeting short term gains, humans have destroyed the natural systems with great pace. But it is difficult to estimate the impact of anthropogenic activities on ecology, in term of economics and even the survivability rate of different life forms on Earth. Although the technology has also advanced at a great pace but still we have hungry people who do not get enough calories to grow normally or even survive. We have issues of availability of potable water, pure air to breathe and ever increasing problem of land degradation. Saline soils are going to increase by 50% up to 2050 and land degradation has affected almost every country of the world. Human population is going to produce 27 billion tones of municipal solid waste by 2050 which would require great input of technology to manage and role of microorganisms will be immense. Amount of non-degradable wastes is increasing by the minute and some of the dangerous recalcitrants are accumulating in the food chains and are the cause of contamination of natural resources and extinction of species apart from causing harm to the humans. As per recent report published in Scientific Reports a mass of plastic waste named as “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” approximately 1.6 million km2 in size ~ twice the size of Texas, is floating on the surface of Pacific ocean. Plastics are also accumulating on land and in water bodies at an unprecedented rate and we need to find a quick alternative for these harmful creations of humans.
It is very important to assess the impact of human activities on the local ecosystems and the planet as a whole on a regular basis. Use of latest technologies and tools although help in the assessment of the situation but the need is to find green solutions as well. Biotechnological approaches and green technologies are providing the solutions to these problems. Scientists are in process of developing green fuels and novel energy sources which could replace petroleum products and provide green energy so as to cut down the emission of green house gases. Similarly management of pollutants, organic wastes and biodegradation of contaminated sites is being achieved by the help of biotechnological tools. Bioremediation is also a very important task which is being targeted for replenishing the polluted habitats using microorganisms and phytoremediation techniques. Food security is a big issue faced by the mankind. Sustainable agriculture has still not been achieved, as dangerous and harmful agro-chemicals rule the market throughout the globe and have caused great harm to the ecosystems worldwide. To achieve food security through sustainable means by maintaining the fertility and microbial diversity of the soil is still a challenge.