Scientific Report Indicates That Earth is in a Dangerous Zone.
Earth has breached 7 out of 8 safety limits established by scientists and is now in a “danger zone,” according to a study published on May 31. For the first time, scientists have introduced new measures alongside the assessment of the planet’s ecosystems, primarily focusing on preventing harm to nations, ethnicities, and genders.
Earth’s safety indicators are deteriorating. (Photo: NASA).
The study conducted by an international group of scientists from the Earth Commission, published in the journal Nature on May 31, examined various issues including climate, air pollution, water pollution, untouched natural environments, and exploited natural environments. Among these, only the issue of air pollution has not yet reached a dangerous threshold.
Research from Swedish scientists indicates that air pollution is hazardous at local and regional levels. Meanwhile, climate issues have surpassed levels that are harmful to human beings on Earth.
Moreover, the report identified several “hotspots” in regions such as Eastern Europe, South Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, parts of Africa, and certain countries like Brazil, Mexico, China, and the western United States. Scientists noted that about two-thirds of the Earth’s regions do not meet criteria for safe freshwater.
“We are in a dangerous zone for most boundaries of the Earth system“, Kristie Ebi, co-author of the study, stated.
Joyeeta Gupta, co-chair of the Earth Commission and a professor of environmental studies at the University of Amsterdam, made an interesting comparison. “If Earth were to be ‘examined’ annually, similar to a person who is ill, the blue planet is facing problems in various regions that affect quality of life,” Joyeeta Gupta said.
Of course, scientists believe that Earth can recover if humanity changes, including transitioning away from fossil fuels and responsibly using other resources such as land and water.
To realize this, a group of about 40 scientists has created quantifiable boundaries for each type of environment, collectively referred to as the justice issue.
“Sustainability and justice are inseparable. Ignoring measures to protect Earth’s natural environments is unacceptable, especially if unsafe conditions predominantly affect poor and vulnerable communities,” Chris Field, director of the Environmental Research Institute at Stanford University, commented.
