The new UN report (through the intergovernmental platform for science and UN policy on biodiversity and ecosystem services) shows a worrying situation for the earth. The globe is in serious danger due to the accelerated decline due to man, with global warming threatening to exceed 2° C. A high risk for Australia and its variety of ecosystems.
More than one million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction, including 40% of all amphibian species, 33% of corals and one third of all marine animals, with native species decreased by 20%, risking the collapse of entire ecosystems.
Following modern agricultural practices, from 2016, 559 of the 6.190 domestic animals used for agriculture were extinct and another 1,000 were threatened. Even wild relatives of domestic crop species are in danger. Also is needed an optimization of the use of water, especially in agriculture, which currently generates enormous waste.
A collapse that would lead to devastating effects on the indigenous population, surrounded by competition between various economic sectors such as mining and unsustainable agriculture, with the natives in actual possession of only 40% of the Australian land surface and without self-government.
At the same time, the reforestation of reclaimed areas is likely to establish monocultures. This is negative for biodiversity. We also need more defense of green spaces in cities (in Melbourne alone, 55% of native plant species are at risk of extinction). At an economic level it is necessary to live subsidies that encourage practices that are harmful to the environment in favor of greater returns of wealth, by introducing on the other hand incentives that measure the value in environmental and social terms.
Even the sea must be at the center of new protection policies, especially in defense of the Great Barrier Reef. If global temperatures increase by 1.5 °C the coral reef coverage should be reduced again, to 10-30% of the previous levels. The loss of coral reefs will increase the risk of floods and hurricanes. Finally, fishing, with about 33% of the world’s fish stocks being overfished, while only 7% are under-drowned, and 55% of the oceans are covered for the benefit of only some countries.
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