What will the world look like in 2061? | environment: multi-pronged anti-fall "abyss"

The August issue of the Spanish monthly magazine Fun, titled "On the Edge of the Abyss," looks ahead to what the world will be like in 2061. The author is Alex Fernandez Muesa. An excerpt from the article follows:

The scientific community has long warned us that if we don't change the way we approach nature, the consequences will be catastrophic in the coming decades. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), created by the United Nations, estimates that global temperatures will rise by 1.4 degrees Celsius to 3 degrees Celsius by mid-century, taking into account current trends in greenhouse gas emissions from countries.

What will happen to Spain if we do nothing between now and 2061? "We're going to have a warmer, less comfortable and more extreme climate. Sharp changes in the weather and the appearance of abnormal weather will be more frequent. The economic impact could cost our country 1.5% of its annual GDP. Jorge Orsina, director of the climatology laboratory at the University of Alicante and president of the Spanish Geographical Association, predicted.

At the global level, biodiversity is also showing us how bad we will be in 40 years if we continue like this. The truth is that we rely on biodiversity to produce food, medicines, materials and a variety of quality natural resources for our daily lives. Of the 8 million known extant species of flora and fauna, 1 million are at risk of extinction and could disappear within a few decades if "effective, urgent and decisive" measures are not taken.

Air pollution is another indicator that we are harming our health and economy by destroying the natural environment in which we find ourselves. According to the Economic Consequences of Outdoor Air Pollution, outdoor pollution could lead to between 6 million and 9 million premature deaths per year by 2060 and would cost 1% of global GDP, equivalent to about $2.6 trillion per year, unless necessary action is taken.

Despite this situation, there is still reason to be hopeful. Scientists tell us that if we take the necessary measures now, there is still time to reverse this situation.

The United Nations has proposed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to achieve sustainable human development. These goals were endorsed by the 193 member states of the United Nations in 2015, which are committed to improving our daily lives, eradicating poverty, inequality, improving health and environmental protection.

When all countries of the world act in unison on environmental issues, the results are clear. One example is the ozone hole, a problem discovered in the 1980s and caused by the heavy use of chlorofluorocarbons. The absence of the ozone layer means that this radiation reaches the Earth more easily and has various negative effects on the environment and health, such as the destruction of ecosystems, or increased cancer and decreased immune response. As a result, the international community had ratified the Montreal Protocol, which had banned the consumption and manufacture of chlorofluorocarbons since 1989. With its help, the United Nations has reported for years that the ozone layer is recovering and returning to pre-1980 levels.

In addition to insisting on measures against the most serious environmental problems, José Luis López, head of the Spanish Society for Environmental Sciences, believes that in order to ensure our future, it is also necessary to establish stricter and more effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance with legislation, international treaties and commitments. Increasing environmental education in all policies and at all levels of the population, especially among the younger population, is another key.

On the other hand, we should be more committed to the development of science and technology. "To make progress that will keep people and the planet sustainable, we must ensure more sustainable, reusable, recyclable and efficient processes, services, materials and products; make better use of resources such as water; and apply circular economy principles to all industries, because one-off models have no place in the future." The expert concluded.

At the end of the day, these measures are being implemented. But many have criticized the speed and determination not enough to take action if we want to avoid the worst-case scenario of a climate and environmental crisis in the coming decades.

Source: Reference News Network