Save the planet: Now or never!

On October 25, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released the latest, 570-page report on the planet's environmental situation. UNEP issued a warning: Save the planet: Now or never!

People have made the Earth's climate change so quickly, exploiting resources greedily and " fortune " leaving for future generations may just be a devastated planet! The warning came October 25 in the report entitled " The fourth Global Environment Outlook (GEO-4) of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

This 570-page report was made by 390 experts worldwide over the past 20 years.

'Hope this is the last call!'

'Now - not at all - is the time when we must act now to protect our own existence and that of the generations to come.'(Photo: Saveupperfreehold.com)

Published in the context of climate change is the ' hot ' topic of the media, this report has provided the most comprehensive and detailed information about the changing environment since the year. 1987 so far.

In this latest report, the environment has been placed on the world political map. UNEP urges leaders around the world to put environmental issues 'at the heart of national policy planning' to overcome a crisis that is getting worse.

GEO-4 emphasized : 'The problem has become more urgent than ever, and now - not always - is the time when we, with more complete understanding of previous challenges eyes, must act immediately to protect our own existence and the future generations'.

Mr. Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director, said: 'There have been too many appeals since the report of Our Common Future 20 years ago. I really hope GEO-4 will be the last call. '

'6th extinction is happening'

According to GEO-4, the climate is changing faster than any of the last 500,000 years. The global average temperature has increased by 0.74 ^o C in the last century and is projected to increase by 1.8 ^o - 4 ^o C until 2100.

The report states: 'The Earth has undergone five major extinctions over the past 450 million years, of which the latest event occurred 65 million years ago. And the 6th large-scale extinction is happening - this time it is caused by human behavior. '

Over the past two decades, the ability to understand and deal with environmental challenges has been constantly increasing, but the global response is generally 'poorly poor'.

"Systematic destruction of natural resources and natural resources has reached a level that threatens the survival and development of every economy, and that is," said Steiner. the price that future generations may not be able to pay. '

Bridge over the supply

Fish consumption has increased three times in the last 40 years but catches have slowed down or decreased in the last 20 years, because fish resources are no longer as abundant as before.(Photo: Johnaugust.com)

With more than 6 billion people, the Earth's population is now so big that 'the amount of resources required by demand is far beyond the natural supply of nature'. And this population is expected to reach 8-9.7 billion people by 2050.

'In Africa, land degradation, even desertification, is a major threat; while the per capita food production level here is now down 12% compared to 1981 '.

GEO-4 also alarms other realities in the Earth's resources and biodiversity. Fish consumption has increased more than three times in the last 40 years, but catches have slowed down or decreased over the past 20 years, because fish stocks are no longer as abundant as before. Of the fully assessed vertebrate groups, more than 30% of amphibians, 23% of mammals and 12% of birds are threatened with extinction.

4 ' scenarios ' for 2050

Although the situation is generally bad, UNEP still recognizes the achievements made in combating ozone loss and air pollution caused by chemical waste.

GEO-4 also looks at the prospects of current trends that can lead to four world perspectives by 2050, namely: 'Market is first', 'Policy is first', 'An all above all 'or' Sustainability is first '.

According to this report, 'the situation may be irreversible for some of the most painful issues today. The only way to overcome the challenge is to move the environmental issue from a secondary position to a central position in policy making '.

The report emphasizes: 'The environment serves for development, but that development must not be harmful to the environment'.

Quang Thinh