A study by a UN appointed group of 1400 scientists predicts tough times for the future. “Humanity’s very survival is at risk” say the researchers.
Some chilling facts from The Earth audit
– The world’s population has grown by 34% to 6.7 billion in 20 years
– Annual income per head has grown by 40% to US $ 8,162
– 73,000km2 of forest is lost across the world each year – 3.5 times the size of Wales
– 75,000 people a year are killed by natural disasters
– Three million die of water-related diseases
– Ten million children under 10 die
– Farmers produce 39% more from their land than in the 1980s
– 60 per cent of the world’s major rivers have been dammed or diverted
– Populations of freshwater fish have declined by 50 per cent in 20 years
– More than half of all cities exceed WHO pollution guidelines
Source: Global Environment Output 2007
I liked a comment from Goutam Das of Bangalore who quotes a famous saying by Mahatma Gandhi : “Mother Earth has enough resources for everybody’s needs, but not enough for everybody’s greeds”
If all of us can do our bit to conserve natural resources and play a part in educating others to do the same, we may make some small progress.
People at Work & Play 