The degradation of the Earth’s ecosystems stem from humans’ demanding actions on nature. For too long, we have exploited and damaged our planet home.

The Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago, and modern humans have existed only for about 315,000 years. Yet, we, humans, are destroying our only safe refuge. According to WWF, more than a third of Earth’s natural resources have been destroyed in just thirty years. We consume and overuse planet Earth‘s natural resources to support our way of life and to supply us more than the biosphere can regenerate itself. As a result, we face what is called “ecological overshoot” now that we find ourselves living beyond the ecological capacity of the planet. Since 1970, an “Earth Overshoot Day” has been dedicated to mark the phenomenon. Last year, the day was observed on August 22.

If we keep on consuming our planet exceedingly, we will need to anticipate the disastrous consequences of our actions. Many of these are already happening now and the ecological footprint has been already traced. Some shocking environmental facts and statistics revealed that since 2016, an average of 28 million hectares have been cut down every year. Over 20 percent of species are at critical risk of extinction due to wildlife destruction. If no action is taken to tackle greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, global temperatures could increase by a massive five degrees Celsius by 2100. The rate of groundwater pollution doubled between 1960 and 2000 and is now over 280 square kilometers per year. The world could run out of rainforests by 2100, food by 2050, fish by 2048, and water by 2040.

Focus on ecosystem restoration.

Since we have used one third of the Earth’s resources and increased our consumption over these last decades, we encounter serious ecosystem loss which could get worse in the years to come and become even more disastrous. However, there is still a chance to restore our beloved planet. That is why every year, we have a special day dedicated to reminding the world of the importance of nature and of maintaining it alive. Every 5th of June, we celebrate World Environment Day, an occasion to heal the ecosystem. Under the theme “Reimagine. Recreate. Restore”, World Environment Day 2021 will focus more on ecosystem restoration which consists in preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. On this occasion, World Environment Day launches the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration” (2021-2030), a rallying call for protection and revival of ecosystems around the world, for the benefit of people and nature. The year 2030 is known as the deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and the deadline that scientists have identified as the last chance to prevent catastrophic climate change (decadeonrestoration.org). A decade-long action plan has been set up following the resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the 1st of March 2019. The resolution includes recalling the outcome document of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 20-22, 2012, entitled “The future we want”, in which the role of ecosystem restoration in achieving sustainable development was highlighted. The resolution also includes emphasizing that forests, wetlands, drylands, and other natural ecosystems are essential for sustainable development, poverty alleviation and improved human well-being.

By the way, the official celebrations of World Environment Day 2021 take place in Pakistan.

Sources: United Nations/ United Nations General Assembly/ The World Counts