TRY to look back 10 years ago. How does your place look like? Were there buildings and establishments back then? Were there trees? Was it totally different compared to how you see it now?
According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the world population will reach up to 7.325 billion by July.
It was during the industrial revolution (1760-1840) that the human population rapidly increased and reached 1 billion (around 1800). Along with the continuing population growth and economic development are inevitable changes in the environment—both good and bad.
Biodiversity loss
Increasing population entails increasing demands for biological resources. Keeping up with this rapidly increasing demand often leads to over-exploitation of natural resources, massive land conversions, among other environmentally destructive human activities.
Habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation and unsustainable use, proliferation of invasive alien species, climate change, among other factors, result in biodiversity loss.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the extinction risk of coral species increases most rapidly, while amphibians are considered the most threatened group.
“We should take biodiversity loss seriously because every species play a vital role in the ecosystem. Coral reefs serve as home for many species of fish, sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, among other life forms. Thus, continuous reduction of corals will increase the risk of extinction of species depending on them,” Asean Centre for Biodiversity Executive Director Atty. Roberto V. Oliva said.
Remembering Mother Earth
The greatest challenge that humankind is facing is how to achieve balance between economic development and environmental sustainability. “The biological richness of Earth makes it too convenient for humans to survive, making them overconfident that these resources will never perish. In the Asean alone, 20 percent of all known plant and animal species thrive, despite occupying only 3 percent of the Earth’s surface,” Oliva said.
On April 22 we celebrated the International Mother Earth Day. It was an opportunity to pause for a while from our busy lives and observe what our world has become.
Mother Earth has been providing us with all our needs. It is about time that we repay her. We have to make sure that future generations will still get to enjoy the nurturing hands of Mother Nature.
The International Mother Earth Day was established in 2009 by the United Nations General Assembly. This celebration was declared to commemorate and honor Mother Earth as an entity that sustains all life forms. This year’s celebration marked the 45th Earth Day anniversary. According to the UN, the International Mother Earth Day 2015 highlighted the need to take a stand together, take a lead and make a difference. Let us not just reflect on what is currently happening on Earth. Let us also ask ourselves: How do we want to see Earth a hundred years from now?
By Pamela Q. Reblora | Special to the BusinessMirror