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''' '' STUDENTS -WORRY-
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IN THIS STATE OF THE WORLD : EVERY CRISIS whether public health, environmental or financial poses a threat to democracy, because the rights of the most vulnerable can be quickly ignored. Thank You, Sir, Secretary General of the UN, Esteemed Antonio Guterres.
IN THE WORRY STORAGE : the most worrying is mankind's inability to live as one species with certain shared values. The most glaring symptom of this inability to live together is the massive growth in inequalities - not only in financial wealth and incomes but also in access to resources; and to essential goods and services such as food, clean drinking water and healthcare.
The Anthropocene Epoch refers to the period during which humans have had a significant impact on the earth and its ecosystems. Starting about 10,000 years ago, hunter gatherer societies were replaced by settlement farmers who cultivated the land raised animals.
This ushered in a massive increase in human population, as well as dramatic changes. Forests were cleared, waterways were diverted and controlled; and weather patterns changed.
The domestication of several animal species also led to an increase in waste and effluents in and around where humans lived; while the close proximity with animals led to an exchange of viruses and bacteria, including those causing disease.
Changes have since continued at an accelerating pace, leading to even higher levels of production and consumption, the continuous growth of cities, and a constant push into new ecological niches.
The human activity has had a dramatic impact on land, sea and air, as well as the habitats of other species. But have we gone too far? Are we destroying essential planetary systems that sustain us?
The latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change came out in August this year. It is a massive document - the work of over 200 authors - but its messages are simple and clear.
Temperatures are higher than there have ever been over the past 2,000 years; and human influence, particularly emission of GreenHouse Gases [GHGs], has contributed to this. Moreover, global surface temperatures will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emission scenarios considered.
As a result there will be a greater frequency of extreme heat and heavy precipitation events; more droughts and intense tropical cyclones; and a reduction in Arctic sea ice, snow cover and permafrost which may raise sea levels.
Various governments and intergovernmental bodies, civil society and NGOs, as well as many private companies have put reduction of GHGs among their key objectives. The largest cuts are to come from richer countries. EU, for example, has set ambitious plans to cut GHGs by 2030 to 55% below their 1990 levels. Many other developed countries are making similar commitments and there is much progress.
We are able to produce greener energy, greener goods and services; greener storage and transportation systems; and greener spaces for our daily working and living spaces. Projections show we will be able to produce more with proportionately lowering emissions of CO2 and other GHGs per unit of output.
But it is unlikely that greener technology would solve the problem without simultaneous changes in consumption patterns. Present projections suggest that over the next three decades, global GDP will more than double.
A substantial portion of this will come from developing countries whose reliance on fossil fuels, including coal, is higher than developed countries and is likely to continue.
Moreover, as the income in poorer countries rise, so will their appetite for consumption patterns in developed countries. And this means more cars, more consumer goods and greater consumption of foods such as meat and milk that are resource intensive to produce and result in high emission of GHGs.
Even now, as the world economy recovers from the Covid-induced recession, consumption of fossil fuels and GHGs emissions are rising rapidly.
Humans seemed to be hardwired with an insatiable appetite for more. More energy to move around more, more raw materials to produce more goods and services, and more land and water to produce more livestock products.
If growth remains the primary objective of people in both developed and developing countries, better technology will not solve the problem. So the challenge is how to stop seeing wellbeing and progress in terms of how much we can produce and consume.
Furthermore, GHGs, global warming and turbulent weather patterns are not the only consequence of our relentless drive for more of everything. Over the last year we have also learnt that our thoughtless pursuit of ''more of everything'' is disturbing deeper planetary equilibria.
The Covid-19 virus has brought home to us the speed and lethality of what could escape from Pandora's box if we carry on invading new environmental riches or experimenting with deadly viruses and bacteria.
The Honor and Serving of the Latest Global Operational Research and futuristic thinking on The State-of-the-World, continues. The World Students Society thanks author Daud Khan, - [London School of Economics, Oxford, and Imperial College of Science and Technology, London] and the UN.
With respectful dedication to the Students, Professors and Teachers of the World. See Ya all prepare and register for Great Global Elections on The World Students Society - for every subject in the world : wssciw.blogspot.com and Twitter - !E-WOW! - The Ecosystem 2011.
Good Night and God Bless
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