A Warning to HumanityA Warning to Humanity

Flow ChartFlow Chart

1.1. A warning to HumanityA warning to Humanity

2.2. MacLean’s ArticleMacLean’s Article

A Warning to HumanityA Warning to HumanityIn 1993, the Union of Concerned In 1993, the Union of Concerned

Scientists published a Scientists published a Warning to Warning to HumanityHumanity. This group of senior . This group of senior members of the world's scientific members of the world's scientific community briefly outlined the community briefly outlined the problems affecting the global problems affecting the global environment. They commented on the environment. They commented on the atmosphere, water resources, oceans, atmosphere, water resources, oceans, soil, forests and living species, and they soil, forests and living species, and they paid special attention to the issue of paid special attention to the issue of overpopulation. A warning was issued:overpopulation. A warning was issued:

The AtmosphereThe Atmosphere

Ozone depletion threatens life with Ozone depletion threatens life with enhanced ultraviolet radiationenhanced ultraviolet radiation

Air Pollution and acid rain, cause Air Pollution and acid rain, cause widespead injury to animal, forests widespead injury to animal, forests and crops.and crops.

Water ResourcesWater Resources

Exploitation of ground water Exploitation of ground water endangers humans.endangers humans.

Serious shortages are occuring.Serious shortages are occuring. Pollution further limits the supplyPollution further limits the supply

OceansOceans

The total marine catch is now at or The total marine catch is now at or above the maximum sustainable above the maximum sustainable yield.yield.

Rivers are also carrying waste to the Rivers are also carrying waste to the oceans – some of which is toxiceoceans – some of which is toxice

SoilSoil

Loss of productivity due to land Loss of productivity due to land abandonment.abandonment.

11% of vegetated surface has been 11% of vegetated surface has been degraded, causing a decrease in per degraded, causing a decrease in per capita food.capita food.

ForestsForests

Some critical forest types will be Some critical forest types will be gone in a few years, and most of the gone in a few years, and most of the rain forest will be gone by the end of rain forest will be gone by the end of the century.the century.

Living SpeciesLiving Species

By 2100 1/3 of all living species now By 2100 1/3 of all living species now living will be gone.living will be gone.

This decrease biodiversity, which This decrease biodiversity, which puts some ecosystems in danger.puts some ecosystems in danger.

With the alteration of the climate, With the alteration of the climate, some species will not survive.some species will not survive.

PopulationPopulation

The earth’s ability to absorb wastes is The earth’s ability to absorb wastes is finite.finite.

Its ability to provide food and energy Its ability to provide food and energy is finite.is finite.

We are fast approaching many of the We are fast approaching many of the earth’s limits.earth’s limits.

Due to this 1/5 pople live in absolute Due to this 1/5 pople live in absolute poverty while 1/10 live I serious poverty while 1/10 live I serious malnutrition.malnutrition.

THE WARNINGTHE WARNING

We, the undersigned, senior members We, the undersigned, senior members of the world's scientific community, of the world's scientific community, hereby warn all humanity of what hereby warn all humanity of what lies ahead. A great change in our lies ahead. A great change in our stewardship of the earth and the life stewardship of the earth and the life on it is required, if vast human on it is required, if vast human misery is to be avoided and our misery is to be avoided and our global home on this planet is not to global home on this planet is not to be irretrievably mutilated.be irretrievably mutilated.

5 Areas to be addressed5 Areas to be addressed

We must bring environmentally damaging We must bring environmentally damaging activities under control to restore and protect the activities under control to restore and protect the integrity of the Earth's systems that we depend on.integrity of the Earth's systems that we depend on.

We must manage resources, crucial to human We must manage resources, crucial to human welfare, more effectively.welfare, more effectively.

We must stabilize population. This will be possible We must stabilize population. This will be possible only if all nations recognize that it requires only if all nations recognize that it requires improved social and economic conditions and the improved social and economic conditions and the adoption of effective, voluntary family planning.adoption of effective, voluntary family planning.

We must reduce and eventually eliminate poverty.We must reduce and eventually eliminate poverty. We must ensure sexual equality and guarantee We must ensure sexual equality and guarantee

women control over their own reproductive women control over their own reproductive decisions. decisions.

A warning con’tA warning con’t

The more developed nations have the The more developed nations have the obligation to provide aid and support to obligation to provide aid and support to developing nations because only the developed developing nations because only the developed nations have the financial resources and the nations have the financial resources and the technical skills for these tasks. technical skills for these tasks.

All citizens of the world must concern All citizens of the world must concern themselves with maintaining environmental themselves with maintaining environmental resources so that they continue to provide resources so that they continue to provide benefits to living things (not only humans) and benefits to living things (not only humans) and the larger environment of which they are a the larger environment of which they are a partpart

A warning con’tA warning con’t

It is time to ensure that everyone on our It is time to ensure that everyone on our planet has clean drinking water, plenty of planet has clean drinking water, plenty of food and adequate shelter for a healthy food and adequate shelter for a healthy and happy lifeand happy life

All citizens of the world must concern All citizens of the world must concern themselves with maintaining themselves with maintaining environmental resources so that they environmental resources so that they continue to provide benefits to living continue to provide benefits to living things (not only humans) and the larger things (not only humans) and the larger environment of which they are a part.environment of which they are a part.

MacLean’s ArticleMacLean’s Article

Read the article on Biodiversity from Read the article on Biodiversity from MacLeans magazine.MacLeans magazine.

When you have finished reading the When you have finished reading the article, you are to write a minimum ¾ article, you are to write a minimum ¾ page summary of the article.page summary of the article.

Also, you are to choose one of the four Also, you are to choose one of the four main threats to the global environment main threats to the global environment and write a minimum ¾ page on which and write a minimum ¾ page on which you feel is the most important and why.you feel is the most important and why.