Humanity has been disregarding Nature’s limits

We’ve disregarded Nature’s limits and climate heating, declining fisheries, biodiversity loss, wildlife population declines, and pollution are some of the results. These symptoms of our disregard for the physical and ecological laws that govern the lives of all organisms are telling us that we’re not living in a sustainable way. Our choice is to deal with the symptoms; however, that won’t be enough. We also have to deal with the root causes of the problem. For example, the most comprehensive review, to date, of ecosystem change for human well-being was conducted by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA).¹ This audit of the Earth’s natural capital involved the work of more than 1,360 scientists worldwide. In a summary report, they wrote: “Human activities have taken the planet to the edge of a massive wave of species extinctions, further threatening our own well-being.” They continue: “The provision of food, fresh water, energy, and materials to a growing population has come at considerable cost to the complex systems of plants, animals, and biological processes that make the planet habitable.” Most disconcerting, however was the comment of the MEA Board:² “Human activity is putting such strain on the natural functions of Earth that the ability of the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted (our emphasis).” This is the legacy we’re leaving future generations. In 2006, The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) released their Living Planet Report³. The report deals with two indicators: the Living Planet Index, which reflects the health of the planet’s ecosystems, and the Global Ecological Footprint, which shows the extent of humanity’s demand on those ecosystems.The Living Planet Index suggests that since 1970—within a human generation—we have lost 40% of the natural capital of the planet. This is a reflection of the impacts from our Global Ecological Footprint.