deforestation – red flag
The rate at which the world human population increases is not a new concern – it has been around for ages.
Overcrowding strains the planet as man competes for wood, metals, water, clean air, land and food, ie crops and livestock. Crops and livestock in turn compete with man for some of the other resources.
It’s hard to pin down what a sustainable population is, especially since the needs and wants of humans evolve with time.
Crude oil, for example, had out of the blue become a necessity in the past century. This phenomenon coincided with an unprecedented tsunami of technological advancements. Innovations spawn opportunities and material wealth. The standard of living has in general improved significantly, and so too, man’s expectations and excesses.
Together with surging population (6 billion today, going 9 billion), these tightly coupled developments bring about expanding cities, re-designation of land use, and land grabbing. These in turn lead to deforestation.
US-based Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) has raised the flag on deforestation. Andy White, a co-author of a report the RRI issued yesterday, said of the situation, “It will mean more deforestation, more conflict, more carbon emissions, more climate change and less prosperity to everyone.”
He summarizes the situation in its entirety. Note how he must add the part about prosperity, as if to make sure you and I pay the situation the attention it deserves.
Though to his point, what good will all the prosperity we accumulate do for our children if the planet should give way irreversibly under strain?
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