UCLA Scientist: ‘Scientifically Undeniable’ That Humanity Faces ‘6th Major Extinction’

[Luckyone]

UCLA Scientist: ‘Scientifically Undeniable’ That Humanity Faces ‘6th Major Extinction’​

“Humanity is running an ecological Ponzi scheme in which society robs nature and future generations to pay for short-term economic enhancement today,” said Paul Ehrlich, a Stanford University professor emeritus of population studies and a co-author of the study.

In the paper published in the journal Frontiers in Conservation Science, 17 prominent scientists cite more than 150 studies, concluding that it is now “scientifically undeniable” that humanity is “on the path of a sixth major extinction.”

The paper suggests concrete changes that could help avert catastrophe, including completely and rapidly ending the use of fossil fuels, strictly regulating markets and property acquisition, reigning in corporate lobbying and empowering women.

This is what we are now facing and if you read the article closely, it clearly stated that "greed" is one of the main culprits (society robbing nature to pay for short-term economic enhancement).

Is anyone committed to doing something about it?

 

[Captain Adverse]

UCLA Scientist: ‘Scientifically Undeniable’ That Humanity Faces ‘6th Major Extinction’​

“Humanity is running an ecological Ponzi scheme in which society robs nature and future generations to pay for short-term economic enhancement today,” said Paul Ehrlich, a Stanford University professor emeritus of population studies and a co-author of the study.

In the paper published in the journal Frontiers in Conservation Science, 17 prominent scientists cite more than 150 studies, concluding that it is now “scientifically undeniable” that humanity is “on the path of a sixth major extinction.”

The paper suggests concrete changes that could help avert catastrophe, including completely and rapidly ending the use of fossil fuels, strictly regulating markets and property acquisition, reigning in corporate lobbying and empowering women.

This is what we are now facing and if you read the article closely, it clearly stated that "greed" is one of the main culprits (society robbing nature to pay for short-term economic enhancement).

Is anyone committed to doing something about it?

Well once upon a time I'd be right up there with ya, demanding "ecological action to save the planet!"

That was before I realized that all the doomsayers who've been predicting "The End" usually "ten years from now if we don't..." keep being wrong.

This meta-study is just one of many that have been, and are being conducted, that as often as not are corrupted by confirmation bias. They expect an outcome, look for "evidence" that reinforces expectations, then predict gloom and doom that does not come.

It is true that we should be ecologically careful. Not act like there is absolutely nothing wrong. But by the same token screaming "the end is near" only to be proven false over and over does not seem very convincing.

So pardon me if I don't get all "the sky is falling" over this particular study's prediction.

 

[Luckyone]

Well once upon a time I'd be right up there with ya, demanding "ecological action to save the planet!"

That was before I realized that all the doomsayers who've been predicting "The End" usually "ten years from now if we don't..." keep being wrong.

This meta-study is just one of many that have been, and are being conducted, that as often as not are corrupted by confirmation bias. They expect an outcome, look for "evidence" that reinforces expectations, then predict gloom and doom that does not come.

It is true that we should be ecologically careful. Not act like there is absolutely nothing wrong. But by the same token screaming "the end is near" only to be proven false over and over does not seem very convincing.

So pardon me if I don't get all "the sky is falling" over this particular study's prediction.

Had you read this total article and other articles about this scenario, none of these scientists are saying this is going to happen now. It is something that will happen unequivocally but sometime in the next few thousand years. None of us will be alive to see it happen. Nonetheless, these scientist have clearly stated that as things are being done now, this is a done deal.

 

[Yakshi]

Had you read this total article and other articles about this scenario, none of these scientists are saying this is going to happen now. It is something that will happen unequivocally but sometime in the next few thousand years. None of us will be alive to see it happen. Nonetheless, these scientist have clearly stated that as things are being done now, this is a done deal.

Spitting in the wind. He never has anything of value to offer. Some just want the attention.

Meanwhile, ask him about the last election and watch him transform magically into Chicken Little.

 

[Captain Adverse]

Had you read this total article and other articles about this scenario, none of these scientists are saying this is going to happen now. It is something that will happen unequivocally but sometime in the next few thousand years. None of us will be alive to see it happen. Nonetheless, these scientist have clearly stated that as things are being done now, this is a done deal.

Oh, well then I really DO need to get concerned!

I appreciate the clarification. I also support ecological awareness, and I'd prefer not to live in a pig-sty planet.

But right now the biggest polluters are places like China, India, Indonesia, etc.. The USA is also up there...but everyone is giving "developing nations" all the exceptions...and most of the biggest polluters are not held accountable.

 

[Craig234]

Had you read this total article and other articles about this scenario, none of these scientists are saying this is going to happen now. It is something that will happen unequivocally but sometime in the next few thousand years. None of us will be alive to see it happen. Nonetheless, these scientist have clearly stated that as things are being done now, this is a done deal.

That is very wrong. We are now in the middle of the sixth great extinction event. The most recent one before this was 66 million years ago when a large asteroid killed many species including the dinosaurs.

"With the IUCN predicting that 99.9% of critically endangered species and 67% of endangered species may be lost within the next 100 years (IUCN, 2019), there are strong indicators for the presence of a 6th mass extinction event."

Are We In The Sixth Mass Extinction? | Earth.Org - Past | Present | Future

There have been five masss extinction over the course of the Earth's history. Now, scientists think we may be entering the sixth.

earth.org

"Human activities have caused the world's wildlife populations to plummet by more than two-thirds in the last 50 years, according to a new report from the World Wildlife Fund."

The World Lost Two-Thirds Of Its Wildlife In 50 Years. We Are to Blame

Human activities are causing an "unprecedented" and alarming decline in wildlife populations around the world, a new report warns. It says the staggering loss ultimately threatens human life as well.

www.npr.org

 

[Bergslagstroll]

That is very wrong. We are now in the middle of the sixth great extinction event. The most recent one before this was 66 million years ago when a large asteroid killed many species including the dinosaurs.

"With the IUCN predicting that 99.9% of critically endangered species and 67% of endangered species may be lost within the next 100 years (IUCN, 2019), there are strong indicators for the presence of a 6th mass extinction event."

Are We In The Sixth Mass Extinction? | Earth.Org - Past | Present | Future

There have been five masss extinction over the course of the Earth's history. Now, scientists think we may be entering the sixth.

earth.org

"Human activities have caused the world's wildlife populations to plummet by more than two-thirds in the last 50 years, according to a new report from the World Wildlife Fund."

The World Lost Two-Thirds Of Its Wildlife In 50 Years. We Are to Blame

Human activities are causing an "unprecedented" and alarming decline in wildlife populations around the world, a new report warns. It says the staggering loss ultimately threatens human life as well.

www.npr.org

Yes the devastating effects of climate change is being felt all across the world. While at the same time things can get a lot worse with both effects being felt the next years and decades as well more long term effects of manmade global warming.

The Climate Emergency: 2020 in Review

Despite some promising developments, the need for action has grown even more urgent

www.scientificamerican.com

Revitalized U.S. urgency on climate change and national security » Yale Climate Connections

The Biden administration’s national security concerns over climate change mark a sharp shift from the Trump administration approach.

yaleclimateconnections.org

That at the same time the Paris Accord could pay for itself simply from the positive heath effects of reducing toxic pollutions from fossil fuels.

Health benefits far outweigh the costs of meeting climate change goals

Meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement could save about a million lives a year worldwide by 2050 through reductions in air pollution alone. The latest estimates from leading experts also indicate that the value of health gains from climate action would be approximately double the cost of...

www.who.int

 

[Bergslagstroll]

There are a huge difference in C02 emissions between the wealthy and the poor in the world. As well as between countries, there you also have huge differences between developed countries.

Carbon emissions of richest 1 percent more than double the emissions of the poorest half of humanity | Oxfam International

www.oxfam.org

CO2 emissions

How much CO2 does the world emit? Which countries emit the most?

ourworldindata.org

There are also many positive examples that shows that a transition away from fossil fuels are possible.

Norway registers 84.8% market share of plug-in cars in March | electrive.com

www.electrive.com

Renewables met 97% of Scotland's electricity demand in 2020

Scotland narrowly missed a 100% target but renewables output has tripled in the last 10 years.

www.bbc.com

When will renewable energy overtake coal and gas? | World Economic Forum

 

[Yakshi]

Yes the devastating effects of climate change is being felt all across the world. While at the same time things can get a lot worse with both effects being felt the next years and decades as well more long term effects of manmade global warming.

The Climate Emergency: 2020 in Review

Despite some promising developments, the need for action has grown even more urgent

www.scientificamerican.com

Revitalized U.S. urgency on climate change and national security » Yale Climate Connections

The Biden administration’s national security concerns over climate change mark a sharp shift from the Trump administration approach.

yaleclimateconnections.org

That at the same time the Paris Accord could pay for itself simply from the positive heath effects of reducing toxic pollutions from fossil fuels.

Health benefits far outweigh the costs of meeting climate change goals

Meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement could save about a million lives a year worldwide by 2050 through reductions in air pollution alone. The latest estimates from leading experts also indicate that the value of health gains from climate action would be approximately double the cost of...

www.who.int

Here in America, on any issue that invites or requires change, the vast majority of conservatives like to throw up their hands and pretend that nothing can be done.

It simultaneously plays into their three most common characteristics: resistance to change, an increased feeling of victimhood--this is essential--pessimism/suspicion of any major institution, and incredible laziness.

In some cases, like gay marriage, the Supreme Court circumvents them completely.

But in this area, don't expect any major changes here any time soon.

 

[joluoto]

Global warming will change the way nature works the next century. Here in Finland it's usually said that southern Finland will have the climate of Central Europe, central Finland will have the Baltic climate southern Finland now enjoys, and Northern Finland will have the climate of Central Finland. That means for example broadleaf forrests in the south where there now is mostly pine forests, while the pines instead push north and push out the spruce, and only in the northernmost Finland will you then find spruce forests (spruce forests cover almost all of central and northern Finland today, but 100 years from now they'll be very rare). This will benefit some organisms, but be really bad for others. Shorter winters will change how nature works overall. For example the unique Saimaa Ringed Seal will go extinct because it need the ice and snpw on the lake during winter to build a place where they give birth to the cubs, and then hide the cubs when they're small. The shorter winters is already hurting them and they have become rare.

Similar things will happen elsewhere. The environment will change, and that will benefit some, but be very harmful to others, and alot willgo extinct, and if we move another hundred years into the future, to the year 2200, things will be even worse.

 

[Yakshi]

Global warming will change the way nature works the next century. Here in Finland it's usually said that southern Finland will have the climate of Central Europe, central Finland will have the Baltic climate southern Finland now enjoys, and Northern Finland will have the climate of Central Finland. That means for example broadleaf forrests in the south where there now is mostly pine forests, while the pines instead push north and push out the spruce, and only in the northernmost Finland will you then find spruce forests (spruce forests cover almost all of central and northern Finland today, but 100 years from now they'll be very rare). This will benefit some organisms, but be really bad for others. Shorter winters will change how nature works overall. For example the unique Saimaa Ringed Seal will go extinct because it need the ice and snpw on the lake during winter to build a place where they give birth to the cubs, and then hide the cubs when they're small. The shorter winters is already hurting them and they have become rare.

Similar things will happen elsewhere. The environment will change, and that will benefit some, but be very harmful to others, and alot willgo extinct, and if we move another hundred years into the future, to the year 2200, things will be even worse.

And conservatives will never care as long as they live.

 

[Simpletruther]

UCLA Scientist: ‘Scientifically Undeniable’ That Humanity Faces ‘6th Major Extinction’​

“Humanity is running an ecological Ponzi scheme in which society robs nature and future generations to pay for short-term economic enhancement today,” said Paul Ehrlich, a Stanford University professor emeritus of population studies and a co-author of the study.

In the paper published in the journal Frontiers in Conservation Science, 17 prominent scientists cite more than 150 studies, concluding that it is now “scientifically undeniable” that humanity is “on the path of a sixth major extinction.”

The paper suggests concrete changes that could help avert catastrophe, including completely and rapidly ending the use of fossil fuels, strictly regulating markets and property acquisition, reigning in corporate lobbying and empowering women.

This is what we are now facing and if you read the article closely, it clearly stated that "greed" is one of the main culprits (society robbing nature to pay for short-term economic enhancement).

Is anyone committed to doing something about it?

Run for the hills the sky is falling....

The end is nigh, repent and turn from your evil carbon footprint..

 

[NatMorton]

The end is nigh. I can save you. Give generously.

 

[Buckeyes85]

And conservatives will never care as long as they live.

Exactly.
The party of supposed self responsibility is really just the party of "me."
If it does not negatively affect them right here, right now, they simply don't care.

 

[NatMorton]

Exactly.
The party of supposed self responsibility is really just the party of "me."
If it does not negatively affect them right here, right now, they simply don't care.

The air can get mighty thin atop Mt. Virtue.

 

[Luckyone]

Oh, well then I really DO need to get concerned!

I appreciate the clarification. I also support ecological awareness, and I'd prefer not to live in a pig-sty planet.

But right now the biggest polluters are places like China, India, Indonesia, etc.. The USA is also up there...but everyone is giving "developing nations" all the exceptions...and most of the biggest polluters are not held accountable.

If humanity in general does not care about humanity in general (it is all about me, me, me) then the end is guaranteed.

What needs to be stimulated is general caring about others and about the survival of the human race. The "me" is not going to survive if everyone is dead.

 

[NatMorton]

If humanity in general does not care about humanity in general (it is all about me, me, me) then the end is guaranteed.

What needs to be stimulated is general caring about others and about the survival of the human race. The "me" is not going to survive if everyone is dead.

What's your strategy for "simulating" general caring in others?

 

[Buckeyes85]

The air can get mighty thin atop Mt. Virtue.

It can.
Thankfully, no one will ever declare me the conqueror of Mt. Virtue. But it is also possible to be flawed and still think beyond the "what does this mean to me, right now" mentality.
And while I admit this is a gross generalization, that mentality seems to be prevalent amongst modern day conservatives- particularly those who support Trump.

 

[NatMorton]

It can.
Thankfully, no one will ever declare me the conqueror of Mt. Virtue. But it is also possible to be flawed and still think beyond the "what does this mean to me, right now" mentality.
And while I admit this is a gross generalization, that mentality seems to be prevalent amongst modern day conservatives- particularly those who support Trump.

As a general rule, humans are self-interested. Despite the bluster, I haven't seen liberals be any less so than conservatives.

 

[Luckyone]

What's your strategy for "simulating" general caring in others?

Knowledge and understanding which is something that is available to everyone. Articles such as the one placed in this OP need to be distributed and read and more importantly believed. These are people experts at what they do and whether they end up being right or wrong, their information needs to be read and understood.

Even selfish people that think only of themselves, realize that if everyone else is dead, their lives have no meaning.

It really is a simple solution. This is no rocket science.

This is why I put up articles such as this. I am trying to do my "small" part in distributing knowledge to others.

 

[PoS]

Had you read this total article and other articles about this scenario, none of these scientists are saying this is going to happen now. It is something that will happen unequivocally but sometime in the next few thousand years. None of us will be alive to see it happen. Nonetheless, these scientist have clearly stated that as things are being done now, this is a done deal.

LOL how convenient. They make a prediction so far in the future so no one can prove them wrong because we'll all be dead by then.

 

[Luckyone]

LOL how convenient. They make a prediction so far in the future so no one can prove them wrong because we'll all be dead by then.

You prefer them not to make any predictions until it is too late to do anything about it?

 

[bubbabgone]

It amazes me how some humans can be so bumptious to believe that their race can not only affect, but can now control, what's been happening to the earth for billions of years without them.

 

[AFrench2]

Well once upon a time I'd be right up there with ya, demanding "ecological action to save the planet!"

That was before I realized that all the doomsayers who've been predicting "The End" usually "ten years from now if we don't..." keep being wrong.

This meta-study is just one of many that have been, and are being conducted, that as often as not are corrupted by confirmation bias. They expect an outcome, look for "evidence" that reinforces expectations, then predict gloom and doom that does not come.

It is true that we should be ecologically careful. Not act like there is absolutely nothing wrong. But by the same token screaming "the end is near" only to be proven false over and over does not seem very convincing.

So pardon me if I don't get all "the sky is falling" over this particular study's prediction.

The people saying "Ten years from now" in 2006 when Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth came out were correct. And the mass immigration we are seeing in the world is a result of climate change.

Just because you ignore all evidence of reality, does not mean the reality does not exist. Understand now?

 

[Buckeyes85]

As a general rule, humans are self-interested. Despite the bluster, I haven't seen liberals be any less so than conservatives.

Every animal on the planet, of which we are just one species, is self interested. No argument there.
We humans, being the most intelligent species, have the ability to think abstractly as to how our actions may affect others in the future. Too many conservatives- and pretty much every Trumper- seems to lack that capacity. Are there people on the left who likewise have that flaw- absolutely. But that admission really changes nothing in the global scheme.