POWER OF NATURE

Editorial . . . . . 

We have been taught for years that the world’s wildlife is severely suffering. The sixth mass extinction, the greatest loss of life on Earth since the time of the dinosaurs, is what many scientists believe we are currently experiencing. However, since a precise number is incredibly difficult to ascertain, scientists do not know how much the loss is. It takes a lot of work to count all kinds of wild species, from gnats to whales, on land, and at sea. Nevertheless, a publication that is extremely ambitious is published every two years. It is a joint effort of the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Zoological Society of London and is known as the Living Planet Index. The most recent version was also made available. The Living Planet Report (LPI) 2022 is WWF’s most thorough analysis to date of changes in biodiversity patterns worldwide and the state of our planet. Terrible news for everyone. Since 1970, the observed wildlife populations have decreased by an average of 69%, according to the Index, which counts populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Nearly 32,000 species populations were examined by the 2022 LPI. In comparison to other species groupings, monitored freshwater populations have decreased by an average of 83% since 1970, according to the most recent study. “The evidence is obvious – we are living through the combined crises of biodiversity loss and climate change caused by the irresponsible use of our planet’s resources,” the 89 scientists said in their assessment. They make it abundantly evident that unless we stop viewing these crises as two distinct problems, neither issue will be adequately resolved. The report contends that environmental challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss also involve economic, development, security, social, moral, and ethical concerns. While industrialized nations are primarily to blame for environmental deterioration, developing countries bear the brunt of biodiversity loss. According to the research, half of the world’s coral reefs have been gone, and we continue to lose forest tracts the size of 27 football fields every minute. A million plant and animal species are also in danger of going extinct. It claims that on a worldwide basis, we lose forests the size of Portugal each year. Deforestation results in carbon emissions, more frequent droughts, and hotter, drier local temperatures. In the end, it jeopardizes the livelihood and food security of millions of people. In the previous two years, we have already encountered it in India. For our health, happiness, and economic success, biodiversity is crucial. Therefore, it becomes crucial to comprehend the causes of nature’s deterioration in order to change this course. According to the paper, there are five major factors that the Inter-governmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has identified as causes of biodiversity loss. They include modifications to land and sea use, direct exploitation of organisms, climatic change, pollution, and the introduction of invasive non-native species. Additionally, it states that there are available remedies to these issues. We can stop the loss of nature in a variety of ways, including by stepping up our conservation efforts. However, it adds, We also need transformative changes in how we produce and consume, such as improving the efficiency of food production and trading, cutting waste, and encouraging healthier, more sustainable diets. Modern modeling demonstrates that we can “bend the curve” of this undesirable tendency and start to stabilize and reverse the loss of nature, resulting in more nature than there is right now. More conservation efforts, sustainable production, and sustainable consumption are necessary.

However, the research issues a warning that none of these steps are sufficient on their own. Only when all three activities are carried out at once will the natural loss be reversed at the rate we require. Naturally, it suggests looking to nature itself for a solution. Nature itself is a crucial ally in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. In order to address pressing social concerns, such as climate change, nature-based solutions harness the power of nature to improve natural ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being.