Thinking at the world’s end couldn’t be that bad, right?! Well, it would help a lot to think twice about this matter, as the mass extinction we currently face is already much worse than we previously believed. A new study reveals that ambitious goals that were supposed to put a stop to our present mass extinction may already be sliding out of reach. Quite scary yet intriguing.
Zoologist Richard Cornford and his colleagues from the Natural History Museum are part of the new research and released a statement saying:
There is wide recognition that time is short for the integrated, ambitious actions needed to stop biodiversity loss by 2050; […] This work shows that time is even shorter than had been thought.
What really happened to the world?
According to Cornford and his team, historical effects of habitat loss and climate change better explain current patterns in bird and animal population levels than more recent effects. As a result, their findings show how the impacts of previous land use and climate change on species abundance have already been locked in, and we won’t actually start to see the full repercussions of the changes we make today for at least ten years in most cases.
What’s worst is that even in 2050, animal populations will still be adjusting to historical environmental changes. Also, ocean life is already being rearranged by climate change, and this situation will only become worse. Practically, the historic “peace pact with nature” promised at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) in December 2022 may already be out of date. Such a shame, isn’t it?!
But there’s also something to make us a bit optimistic.
The good news is that the risks posed by direct wildlife usage, and by that, we understand hunting, which is crucial for many people’s livelihoods, are reduced via active management of protected areas. If sustainable restrictions, like hunting, are upheld, this can go on. We also have to understand that we actually benefit much from biodiversity conservation, as do the larger ecosystems in which we live and the fight against climate change. If we’re serious about preserving what’s left, our measures must be swift and significant.
Let’s start now by supporting researchers’ work and be more aware of what’s hurting!
Tiesha loves to share her passion for everything that’s beautiful in this world. Apart from writing on her beauty blog and running her own beauty channel on Youtube, she also enjoys traveling and photography. Tiesha covers various stories on the website.