Opinion
World Environment Day: Global warming is the greatest threat to the survival of biodiversity.
As the world grapples with the catastrophic effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, one which has left millions of people infected, thousands dead and economies on the verge of collapse, many are drawing parallels between continued destruction of the planet and emergence of infectious diseases. Encroachment into animals’ habitats is now at an all-time high with hunting, wildlife trade and the conversion of land for agriculture increasing the interaction between humans and wild animals. Consequently, this has increased the risk of disease transmission from one species to the other. Studies have indeed shown a direct correlation between the destruction of nature and the emergence of novel diseases like coronavirus. A new study by scientists in Australia and the US published under The Royal Society has found that exploitation of wildlife through hunting and trade facilitates close contact between wildlife and humans. There is further evidence that exploitation, as well as anthropogenic activities that have caused losses in wildlife habitat quality, have increased opportunities for animal-human interactions and facilitated zoonotic disease transmission. If this is not a clear warning of what is coming our way if we do not take corrective measures protecting our planet, then it needs to serve as a reminder of the consequences of messing with nature. It should be a wake-up call to all of us – individuals, governments, organisations – that environmental conservation should be at the core of our strategies. If greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, over-exploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation continues, there will be severe and irreversible changes for people, assets, economies and ecosystems around the world. Sustainable living guided by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals is the way forward for a peaceful co-existence between man, nature and its resources. This is why as we mark World Environment Day this month, we should remember the big steps we have taken over the years and the work ahead, which calls for collaboration and action from all fronts. This year’s theme, ‘Celebrating Biodiversity’, couldn’t have come at a better time. It calls for a critical consideration of the role we play in shielding species from extinction and ensuring the thriving of their natural habitats. Global warming, which has been identified as the major cause of climate change, is arguably the greatest threat to the survival of the entire biodiversity system. […]
