The World Wildlife Fund Living Planet Report 2016 has been released and it says that from 1970 to 2012 the index of vertebrates on the earth decreased by 58% and is heading to 67% by 2020 (WWF Living Planet Index Report 2016, page 9/74). Following this trend with human population growth and the associated further decline of wild animals, in 2060 we will probably have only 9% (a 91% decrease) of the wild animals we had in 1970. That isn’t what any generation wants to be remembered for.
Our World’s other species are in imminent danger due to human population growth and human resource use. It can be shown in a step by step manner that the quicker we act, the more likely it is our kids and grandkids will have a chance to enjoy as nice a natural and built environment as we did. The steps are as follows:
- Baby Boomers Legacy
- Wild Animals in big trouble, 2a. Fish in worse trouble
- Relating Population to Environmental Degradation
- What is the Living Planet Index?
- Why can’t we just fix the problem right now?
- Population Growth doesn’t stop when stabilisation measures start – China
- Delaying the start of Population Stabilisation Measures has huge impacts– China
- Using United Nations World Population Predictions to show the impact of delays
- Resulting Environmental Impacts of population growth
- Resulting Social Impacts of population growth
- Proposed Steps to Stabilising Population
- Impediments due to our Existing Political and Economic systems
- Conclusions
The full paper is at the following link: Will Baby Boomers be Remembered as the Generation that killed off the Wild Animals?
Thanks to Vince, David, Chuck, Tony, Nathan and Michael for their comments.