A global research team, which includes scientists from the US, the UK, Brazil, and Bangladesh, has unveiled a new study revealing that 20 out of Earth’s 35 essential indicators have deteriorated to a point beyond any previously observed, posing a threat to life on the planet. These 20 indicators, including critical measurements like Arctic sea-ice levels, ice loss in Antarctica and Greenland, sea level rise, and surface temperature anomalies, have reached unprecedented extremes, according to the study published in the journal BioScience. The research also presents key statistics on temperature and greenhouse gas emissions, such as the fact that 2023 has already seen 38 days with global average temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Furthermore, July recorded the highest-ever average surface temperature, leading researchers to suspect it might be the highest surface temperature experienced by the planet in the past 100,000 years. The study’s authors advocate for policies addressing the underlying problem of “ecological overshoot” and call for a shift to a global economy that prioritizes human well-being while reducing overconsumption and excessive emissions by the wealthy.
The study provides specific recommendations, such as phasing out subsidies for fossil fuels, promoting the transition to plant-based diets, intensifying efforts to protect forests, and endorsing international treaties to eliminate coal and prevent the proliferation of fossil fuels. These measures aim to tackle the pressing issue of ecological imbalance, as highlighted by the research findings, and help mitigate the environmental crisis at hand.
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