Ecological Breakdown

Destruction and mining of Earth is causing Ecological Breakdown

According to scientists, we are in the midst of the Sixth Mass Extinction. This is the first mass extinction caused by human behavior. Since 1970, we have lost 60% of our fish, mammal, bird, amphibian, and reptilian species, due to habitat destruction, pollution, pesticides, and the effects of human-created global heating. Pollinators like bees and butterflies are also endangered, which are an important part of the human food chain. Chemical pollution, especially from plastics, has passed the safe level for human health and safety.

Even if we run society on 100% renewable energy, climate and earth scientists report that ecological destruction could lead an uninhabitable Earth.

“If we are to persuade society to take conservation seriously, we must stop framing it as the altruistic quest to save other species from extinction, and instead present it as the selfish, pragmatic goal of sustaining the conditions for human civilisation and other life on Earth.” - Frontiers of Science

Capitalism

Scientists and academics report that infinite growth on a finite planet is unsustainable. They report that unless we transition to a circular economy that respects planetary boundaries, we are at risk of ecological collapse.

Some claim that “green growth” is possible - that we can decouple the production and transport of goods from fossil fuel emissions and overuse of Earth’s finite resources, but this theory has been debunked. Research has shown that green growth is not a feasible solution and that we need to focus on a circular economy like the Donut Economic Theory that respects planetary boundaries and doesn’t require excessive emissions or the overuse of Earth’s resources and land. The Donut Economic Theory calls humanity to transform our capitalist system into a more balanced, sustainable economy that allows humanity, other species, and ecosystems to thrive and exist together in harmony.

More Reading

This week a new report was released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), specifically looking at the impacts of climate change. It makes for grim reading. The report tells us that climate change is already impacting billions of people, and pushing wildlife to extinction. Further, these impacts are going to get worse the more carbon we put into the atmosphere. In this video I look at why the loss of species is particularly dangerous, risking sending us at breakneck speed into the sixth mass extinction in the history of our planet. - Simon Clark

Fast fashion has radically transformed the textile industry. These days, 56 million tons of clothing are sold every year. But cheap garments come at a high price: A precarious existence for workers and a catastrophic environmental impact. The clothing industry is currently deluging the planet with garments.

With 100 billion items produced every year, that’s more than ever before. International companies are locked in an ongoing race to create new styles and win higher profits. And this gigantic expansion is set to continue: The sector is forecast to grow by 60 per cent by 2030. - DW Documentary

Read by Andy Purvis, a professor at the Natural History Museum in London and one of the Coordinating Lead authors of the IPBES Global Assessment Report, the following audiobook highlights key messages from the #GlobalAssessment Summary for Policymakers. - Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

We're entering the Earth's sixth era of extinction -- and it's the first time humans are to blame. CNN introduces you to the key species and people who are trying to prevent them from vanishing. - CNN