Revolution towards Disaster

The Planet Earth is a special place as far as we know because an intelligent species like humans evolved here. Modern humans have walked this abode since about 200,000 years. Today about 7.2 billion humans occupy about 15.77 billion acres of habitable land along with other diverse species. Our number will increase to more than 9 billion by 2050. With our multiplication we have wiped out about 58 percent of wildlife in last 42 years and many other bio diverse species too have disappeared. We have made Water and air too - the most essential elements for life - garbage cans. Trees are wantonly cut to make more room for our greed for space for increasing number of humans and for agriculture.

Humans thought that technology would solve most of the problems instead we have created major catastrophes. A day may come when we would have polluted our abode to the level that it will become unlivable by us since we would have immensely polluted air, water and land- our main arteries of survival.

Humans have reached the moon and also as far as Saturn by sending Cassini and found that we are very special species. Today travelling to any part of the world is easy, which once upon a time was a dream for masses. Readily available Mobile phones have brought revolution in contacting anyone anywhere in this world. But the important question for us is how to sustain ourselves on this finite planet.

Our Special abode- Planet earth has finite land. The Resources are finite. there are renewable resources like rainwater,

etc but our activities has brought dramatic changes in Climate, which in turn  has affected other natural Activities

The world is divided into North and South or developed and developing countries. It is sad but true that about 842 million Human Being have been chronically undernourished from 2012-2014.

Food and food security is extremely vital for our survival. Food security is when sufficient safe nutritious food is accessible at all times for people to live healthy and active life. Today thousands of millions of people are living on less than a dollar a day and they face severe risk from hunger and disease. In sub Saharan Africa 1 out of 4 or 23.2 percent of population is estimated to be undernourished from 2014-2016 and 220 million hungry in 2014-2016. Main causes being rising food prices, droughts and political instability. 

Also wars in Sudan, Nigeria, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and other war torn countries have been main cause of food insecurity.

Farming is energy intensive because crops need to be transported, along with pesticides and fertilisers, which are required, livestock rearing, altered weather patterns, novel agricultural pests and water. Water scarcity has increased due to population growth, urbanisation and land miss use. At least half billion people currently live in countries with chronic water shortages, which will double by 2050

One-third of food produced in the world for human consumption every year approximately 1.3 billion tons is lost or wasted, which costs USD 680 billion to industrialised countries and USD 310 billion to developing countries. 

Food currently lost or wasted in Latin America could feed 300 million people, Europe 200 million and Africa 300 million. 

Carbon footprint of wasted food is estimated at 3.3 gigatons, 1.4 billion hectares of land- 28 percent of world's agricultural area and about 250 km cube of blue water which is 38 times of blue water footprint of US households.

Humans have played a very important role for climate change and this has had negative impact on agriculture, growth of major crops and livestock production and fisheries causing major repercussions on livelihoods and food security of millions.

Deforestation has direct relationship for catastrophes like biodiversity loss and runway climate change. 12-20 percent of carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation and land use change are responsible for 30-35 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

It is extremely important for humans to realise that since World War 2 highest number of people have been displaced globally. So political and social factors are essential to alleviate poverty and hunger. 

Humans are the most developed species. We have highly developed brain. We have taken control over this only known liveable planet. We have technology and technical knowhow but we also have arrogance. We can use all the knowledge for our betterment or for our destruction. It is up to us. No species can survive in isolation. We have to respect other diverse species and live in harmony for our own survival or our future is definitely doomed.

Where are we heading towards an Era of technological Revolution or an Era of Disaster…?

Nehaal Mayur,

Youth Representative to United Nations Department for Public Information

United Nations Associations Zimbabwe