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 Climate change, over population and depletion of the finite resources of our world are serious issues which can no longer be ignored.
However, we can ensure that all species (including ours) have a future, simply through sensible management of our remaining resources and through responsible decisions about family planning.
The Kea Conservation Trust is concerned about these issues and supports any efforts to reduce our combined human impact on the planet.
This page looks at the following issues:
Climate Change
Global warming (climate change) is significantly affecting all life on this planet. An increasing human population continues to place pressure on our planetary reserves whilst burning of fossil fuels and removal of pristine rainforest is increasing average global temperatures. Even small increases in temperature over such a short period of time can be catastrophic to many species and natural ecological processes. Species in sensitive alpine and polar areas are also under serious threat and need our help to ensure the survival of their habitats.
For a brief 2 minute animated journey throught he earths climate history, please open the following link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2009/copenhagen/8386319.stm
We recommend our readers also visit http://www.climatecrisis.net/ to view the DVD "An Inconvenient Truth" (by Al Gore) and to learn ways in which everyone can reduce their carbon emissions.
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Human Over Population
World population is projected to rise from today's 6.8 billion to 9.15 billion in 2050.* We are presently adding another 73 million people to the population every year!
(The 2.3 billion increase from 2008 to 2050 is almost as much as the entire population of the world in 1950).
These are frightening figures and raise many questions:
- Do we have the resources on our planet to support this number of people (even with recycling and energy efficiency schemes in place)?
- What happens if we don't?
For more information, please visit the Optimum Population Trust (OPT) website at http://www.optimumpopulation.org/
OPT patrons include Sir David Attenborough and Dr. Jane Goodall among other prominant scientists and environmentalists.
Sir David Attenborough, a patron of the Optimum Population Trust, the leading think tank in the UK concerned with the impact of population growth on the environment, states “I’ve seen wildlife under mounting human pressure all over the world and it’s not just from human economy or technology - behind every threat is the frightening explosion in human numbers.
“I’ve never seen a problem that wouldn’t be easier to solve with fewer people, or harder, and ultimately impossible, with more. That’s why I support the OPT, and I wish the environmental NGOs would follow their lead, and spell out this central problem loud and clear.” (exerpt from the OPT website).
Ways to maintain a balanced human population:
- Family planning - you make the choice! (When you want children and who with)
- Stop at two! - Have one or two children only
- Want a larger family? Adopt! There a literally millions of children who are in need of loving homes.
* United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects 2008 Revision, 11 March 2009 (from OPT).
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Depletion of Resources
Will we have enough:
Will we have enough fresh water?
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At what cost our food?
- Where are all the fish in the sea?
- Factory farming versus free-range farming - what are the issues?
- Monocultures - how do they affect biodiversity?
Where are all the fish in the sea?
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Associations (FOA) 2 yearly report on the state of the worlds fishing and aquaculture (SOFIA), over 25% of all the world's fish stocks are either overexploited or depleted. Another 52% is fully exploited, these are in imminent danger of overexploitation (maximum sustainable production level) and collapse. Thus a total of almost 80% of the world's fisheries are fully- to over-exploited, depleted, or in a state of collapse. Worldwide about 90% of the stocks of large predatory fish stocks are already gone. In the real world all this comes down to two serious problems.
- We are losing species as well as entire ecosystems. As a result the overall ecological unity of our oceans are under stress and at risk of collapse.
- We are at risk of losing a valuable food source many depend upon for social, economical or dietary reasons.
The single best example of the ecological and economical dangers of overfishing is found in Newfoundland, Canada. In 1992 the once thriving cod fishing industry came to a sudden and full stop when at the start of the fishing season no cod appeared. Overfishing allowed by decades of fisheries mismanagement was the main cause for this disaster that resulted in almost 40,000 people losing their livelihood and an ecosystem in complete state of decay. Now, fifteen years after the collapse, many fishermen are still waiting for the cod to return and communities still haven't recovered from the sudden removal of the regions single most important economical driver (taken from Over Fishing.org).
To find out more about overfishing and what it means to us all, please follow the following links:
Factory (intensive) farming versus free range
As demands for cheap readily available food sources increase along with increasing world wide populations, so intensive farming of livestock to increase productivity is on the increase.
Although intenisve farming of many animal species (particularly pigs and hens) is now illegal in several countries within the EU because of welfare issues, battery farming of chickens and intensive farming of pigs is legal and widespread practice throughout Australasia.
Additionally proposals by three New Zealand companies for resource consents for 16 new dairy farm developments managing nearly 18,000 cows housed in cubicle stables are now before Environment Canterbury (ECan).
At present, NZ free ranges all its cattle.
Under the new plans, cows will be confined in cubicle stables 24 hours a day for eight months of the year, from March to October, and allowed outside for 12 hours a day from November to February. More than 1500 submissions opposing the developments have been received by ECan.
You Choose!
This year, buy free range meat and eggs!
There are alternative products on the market - supporting free range farming enterprises sends a clear message to agricultural companies and governments.
For more information on these farming practices and what you can do to stop animals suffering, please open the following links:
Monocultures
How do they affect biodiversity?
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Other Links
Shark Waters
31 Awards and rave reviews - the must see conservation movie of the year!
Sharks as a group are undergoing an extermination programme similar to what kea went through up until the 1970's. We urge you to petition against the practice of shark finning to make shark fin soup and watch the DVD Sharkwater for spectacular images and a powerful message.
Are sharks and other ocean species protected in New Zealand waters? Should they be?
If you would like to find out more, please visit http://www.sharkwater.com/ and Shark Savers.
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The State of Our Planet
