A new study by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says that the environment is depleting much faster than as anticipated by politicians and policymakers rendering them unsuccessful in taking any counter-action. According to IPPR, the environment is at present at critical level and will start destabilizing global economy and society anytime soon.
Major factors behind
Some factors have fatally combined to give rise to a rather early catastrophe, which include-
- Climate change
- Mass washout of species
- Topsoil erosion
- Deforestation
- Acidifying oceans
Some very disturbing data revealed
IPPR has even warned against the reaction time which Earthlings are left with, to counter the upcoming. They have revealed some very disturbing data. According to the think tank, natural disasters have only multiplied since 1950- the number of floods across the world has increased by 15 times, extreme temperature events by 20 times, and wildfires seven-fold.
Moreover, if we look into the soil quality alone, the topsoil is being lost 10 to 40 times faster than it is being replenished by natural processes. 30% of the world's arable land has already become unproductive due to erosion. All of this implies that 95% of the Earth's land areas could become degraded by 2050. This is much close than any policymaker might have earlier expected.
Food sources will become so scarce in the future so as to drive price spikes and social unrest. Migration will become a common affair.
What will spur action?
Interpreters have come up with positive response for the IPPR paper. According to experts, a lot of action can still be taken to avoid the foreseen. However, papers like that of IPPR are often not considered to drive any action, making the argument of ‘a need of evidence-based policy'. This can, of course, be used as an excuse for delay. The question here is if how much more evidence is needed for any solid action?
Image Credits – shortformvideo.co.uk
Any information taken from here should be credited to Skymet Weather