"Experts Warn Ecosystem Changes Will Continue to Worsen, Putting Global Development Goals At Risk "Wednesday, March 30, 2005 | London, UK "A landmark study released today reveals that approximately 60 percent of the ecosystem services that support life on Earth – such as fresh water, capture fisheries, air and water regulation, and the regulation of regional climate, natural hazards and pests – are being degraded or used unsustainably. Scientists warn that the harmful consequences of this degradation could grow significantly worse in the next 50 years. More ..... http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/Article.aspx?id=58
They need a new line. Go back and read Commoner and Reich, et al, from forty years ago. Same line. Most of us died by the time of the millenium. According to these folk, instead of dying out as we should have, we have even more rapidly and extensively...done all nasty and evil human stuff.
I didn't need a study to tell me the environment is getting worse, I live in Florida. The reefs are dying, the 'Glades are full of pesticides and fertilizer, and we've paved over the filtering wetlands. But I'm sure there's a corporate backed "scientific"study that tells me my observations aren't true though, so no worries.
Khan: You make a fair point. For every study predicting earth's impending gloom, another differently-funded and sponsored study might sound the earth's current or ultimate renaissance and rejuvenation. There's pretty much nothing new under the sun. This "new" (UN, 2005) report and some other prior ones like it, have said essentially the same things. Last time I checked, Planet Earth has not had a scarcity of environmental, population, and resources global doom-and-gloom prophets, yet. Facts, are facts, though, relativity theorem notwithstanding. The facts as enunciated by several highly pedigreed studies are scientifically sanguine and reliable. However, the interpretatioins thereof, are always amenable to one's politics, one's world view, even one's religion, etc. Decimon: In fairness to the original MIT "Club od Rome" study and report, I do not believe that anyone claimed that "we should all be dead by now." Please see selected references to: "Limits To Growth," the Original/MIT Study: http://www.overpopulation.com/faq/Natural_Resources/limits_to_growth.html Sequel to "Limits": http://www.unh.edu/ipssr/Lab/BTL.html Graphs (1999): http://www.ecoglobe.org/nz/sustain/devgraph.htm Note one respected scientists's critique of the what-me-worry? viewpoint: "Some of the predictions (of the original "The Limits to Growth" study)were either too precise or they were misinterpreted by the critics. This has led to the regrettable situation that even pro-environmentalists refer to "The Limits of Growth" by saying that they have been proven wrong. That judgement is not valid, however." The study did not predict impending or iminent doom, but a calamity nonetheless withing the "next 100 years or so," given the almost universal scientific (and non-political) consensus on our planet's physical, biological and economic progress (or lack thereof). To all: Great feedback and thoughts! Thanks.
