Earths Ecosystem in Danger :: essays research papers

The study, by 1,360 experts in 95 nations, state a rising human population had pollute or over-exploited two thirds of the ecological systems on which lifespan depends, ranging from clean gloriole to fresh water, in the past 50 years."At the heart of this discernment is a stark warning," said the 45-member board of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment."Human operation is putting such strain on the natural functions of Earth that the cleverness of the planets ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted," it said.Ten to 30 percent of mammal, bird and amphibian species were already endanger with extinction, according to the assessment, the biggest review of the planets life support systems."Over the past 50 years, humans have changed ecosystems more cursorily and extensively than in all comparable time in human history, largely to meet rapidly growing demands for food, fresh water, timber, fibre and fuel," the report said.& quotThis has resulted in a existent and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on earth," it added. More land was changed to cropland since 1945, for instance, than in the 18th and 19th centuries combined.Getting worse"The harmful consequences of this degradation could grow significantly worse in the side by side(p) 50 years," it said. The report was compi conduct by experts, including from U.N. agencies and international scientific and development organizations.U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the study "shows how human activities are causing environmental damage on a massive scale throughout the world, and how biodiversity -- the very basis for life on earth -- is declining at an alarming rate."The report said there was evidence that strains on nature could trigger abrupt changes like the intermit of cod fisheries complete Newfoundland in Canada in 1992 after years of over-fishing. future changes could bring sudden outbreaks of disease. W arming of the Great Lakes in Africa due to mood change, for instance, could create conditions for a spread of cholera.And a build-up of nitrogen from fertilizers washed off farmland into seas could spur abrupt blooms of algae that choke fish or create oxygen-depleted "dead zones" along coasts.It said deforestation often led to less rainfall. And at some point, lack of rain could suddenly undermine growing conditions for remaining forests in a region.The report said that in 100 years, global warming widely blamed on suntan of fossil fuels in cars, factories and power plants, might take over as the main source of damage.