Seeking Solutions: A global deal for nature

On By Mike and Christy

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As humanity marches on seemingly ignorant, yet keenly aware, the earths climate continues to warm faster than predicted and the sixth-extinction event picks up momentum like a snowball rolling down hill one group of scientists recently published a paper titled “A Global Deal For Nature: Guiding principles, milestones, and targets” in the journal Science Advances proposing a solution to put a halt to our global crises.  In this paper the authors make the case that:

 “the most logical path to avoid the approaching crisis is maintaining and restoring at least 50% of the Earth’s land area as intact natural ecosystems, in combination with energy transition measures.”

The authors clearly state that measures to protect ecosystems, biodiversity and any aversion or mitigation of anthropogenic climate change is a time bound matter and action must come sooner than later.

The paper lists five major goals of the project:

(1) represent all native ecosystem types and successional stages across their natural range of variation—or “representation”

(2) maintain viable populations of all native species in natural patterns of abundance and distribution—or “saving species”

(3) maintain ecological function and ecosystem services

(4) maximize carbon sequestration by natural ecosystems

(5) address environmental change to maintain evolutionary processes and adapt to the impacts of climate change 

In addition the paper gives clear scientific evidence for their proposal and priorities that include: protecting biodiversity, mitigating climate change and reducing future threats. This is a well presented paper and one clearly worth reading.

A short article summarizing the project can be found here and is a good jumping off point prior to reading the whole study. It’s a beautiful world and diverse world and something too important to loose.

Click image to view slideshow.

References:
1) A Global Deal For Nature: Guiding principles, milestones, and targets.

 

E. DINERSTEIN, C. VYNNE, E. SALA, A. R. JOSHI, S. FERNANDO, T. E. LOVEJOY, J. MAYORGA, D. OLSON, G. P. ASNER, J. E. M. BAILLIE, N. D. BURGESS, K. BURKART, R. F. NOSS, Y. P. ZHANG, A. BACCINI, T. BIRCH, N. HAHN, L. N. JOPPA, E. WIKRAMANAYAKE

SCIENCE ADVANCES  : EAAW2869

 

23 thoughts on “Seeking Solutions: A global deal for nature”

    1. Hi, yes a smaller population of us humans running around would help but I suspect that other cultural/economic/political changes would have to happen on a global scale as well. Things will indeed get worse before they get better.

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