Live green Creating a generation of communities in harmony with nature through the restoration of destroyed soils and ecosystems
Introduction
The objective of this analysis is to identify factors threatening the environment in the long term for humanity and other species on Earth, including animal and plant life across all habitats, and also to propose solutions, such as Strategic Sustainable Knowledge Partnerships, to preserve the environment and mitigate human impact that could be applied in every country worldwide.
The first step towards modern concepts of sustainability was made in the 19th century when ecology began to develop as a science. But it was only after the end of the World War II that first informed discussions took place regarding environmental policy within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations. In the 1960s, intellectuals joined efforts to harmonize the concepts of economic growth and ecological balance, creating the term eco-development in the process.
However, the future of the global environment is a highly complex issue due to the multitude of factors that come into play, such as: climate change, air, water and land pollution, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, etc.
1. Subject Background and Relevance
Some of the first voices, warning about consequences of damaging the environment and calling to take more care of our planet, were raised back in the 19th century with the emergence of ecology as a first step towards the modern concepts of sustainability. But it was not until the end of the World War II that first informed discussions took place regarding environmental policy and became part of the agenda at the United Nations and other international organizations. In the 1960s, intellectuals joined efforts to harmonize the concepts of economic growth and ecological balance, combining them into “eco-development”. The term was introduced by the UN and is attributed to Maurice Strong, who organized the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm and the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (Lopez, Victor 2009), where the interests of the international community were expressed regarding the need to implement environmental improvement processes. These discussions also led to the establishment of first multidisciplinary groups and institutions formally charged with proposing alternative solutions to environmental problems. The concept of eco-development was the precursor to what was later termed sustainable development.
In 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, formally known as the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), “sustainable development” was given its most comprehensive definition: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Lopez Victor, 2009). The UNCED also adopted the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (Rio Declaration of 1992) signed by 150 member-countries, and resulted in the first formal commitment to sustainable development in nine priority areas. In addition, it agreed Agenda 21 for each country as a way to ensure sustainable future of the nations.
It is also important to remember that in 1987 the UN's World Commission for Environment and Development released the report Our Common Future, known as the Brundtland Report, after the Commission's chairwoman, Gro Harlem Brundt- land. The report gave a stark warning that humanity must change its modes of life and business interaction if it did not want to see the coming of an era marked by unacceptable human suffering and ecological degradation (Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future, 1987). This document also provided the above-quoted definition of Sustainable Development, the attainment of which involved three major phases to:
1. Investigate the critical issues of development and the environment and make proposals to address them.
2. Propose new forms of international cooperation to influence development and environmental policymaking.
3. Engage individuals, companies and governments in efforts to protect the environment.
This was followed up with summits, intergovernmental meetings and international forums, focused on finding ways to act on the three objectives listed above that are still relevant today, and to identify effective solutions for safeguarding the environment. Among many important events in the history of international cooperation on sustainable development, a key milestone was the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 and ratified by many UN members since 2016. This international treaty on climate change laid the groundwork for Agenda 2030, recently updated as Agenda 2045, which defines 17 goals and 169 targets of sustainable development, all of them designed to preserve the environment and protect humanity and all life on Earth.
But the future of the global environment is a complex issue involving multiple factors, such as climate change, pollution of air, water and land, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, etc.
Clearly, climate change is one of the biggest threats to the environment affected by rising global temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions. Nowadays, the climate is characterized by dramatic seasonal shifts and extreme weather conditions, including more intense hurricanes, prolonged droughts and very strong heat waves.
Regarding biodiversity, the Pulse 2024 report reveals a staggering 73% decline in global wildlife populations over the past 50 years. Freshwater species have suffered the greatest decline of 85%, followed by terrestrial (69%) and marine (56%) populations. As biodiversity reaches a critical tipping point, urgent action is needed to protect ecosystems and ensure a sustainable future. Note that, at this rate, the loss of biodiversity threatens not only ecosystems, but our own survival as well.
As for deforestation, the Forest Pulse Report and the State of the World's Forests report show that deforestation rates have slowed down in comparison with previous decades. However, forest fires in 2023 affected 6,687 million hectares of forests worldwide, releasing 6,687 megatons of carbon dioxide. It is critical to consider the balance between deforestation that reduces absorption of carbon dioxide and is harmful to wildlife, and the needs of agriculture, which feeds the entire population of our planet and is essential to its survival.
Finally, air, water and soil pollution has increased. According to Digital Ecology, in 2024, the rate of global pollution has become critical and a major concern for scientists and policymakers. According to recent reports, air pollution is estimated to have reached an average of 29% in urban areas, edging up from 27% in 2020. This uptick is partly due to the post-pandemic economic recovery and increased industrial activity. Water pollution data is also alarming as 20% of the world's freshwater sources are contaminated with chemical and biological agents. Given that this parameter was only 15% in 2019, this indicates a worrying trend that underscores the need to implement more effective water conservation and treatment measures.
Reports on solid waste pollution also paint a grim picture. In 2024, the world produced approximately 2.01 billion tons of waste per year, an increase of 10% over 2020. Listed below are some key facts about waste management in today’s world:
• Only 13 % of this waste is properly recycled.
• 50% of plastic waste ends up in landfills or the environment.
• Waste incineration contributes significantly to air pollution.
It is evident that the issue of environmental protection urgently calls for short, medium and long-term solutions.
Proposal for a conservation/mitigation solution and conclusions
It should be noted that the following proposal, based on my doctoral research, sets out a potential solution for conservation of the environment and mitigation of human impact that can be replicated across all countries worldwide subject to the political will of their governments.
The proposal is to create Sustainable Strategic Knowledge Partnerships. Due to the constraints of the essay format, I will describe them only briefly without specifying the roles of each participant. Such Partnerships require the full participation of all institutions within the global community: 1. Universities and research centers, 2. NGOs (civil associations and foundations), 3. Business community, 4. Government, including federal, regional and municipal levels, and 5. International organizations.
These Sustainable Strategic Knowledge Partnerships should come up with their respective national projects as part of strategic national plans that would ensure continuity without limiting the development of the countries.
To conclude, it can be said that there is no lack of proposed solutions to tackle environmental challenges. However, without adequate political alignment between nations around the world, these solutions cannot be effectively implemented, jeopardizing natural conservation and impact mitigation efforts as well as the very survival of life of Earth. So we must act now - as if we ought to have done it yesterday.
Introduction
The objective of this analysis is to identify factors threatening the environment in the long term for humanity and other species on Earth, including animal and plant life across all habitats, and also to propose solutions, such as Strategic Sustainable Knowledge Partnerships, to preserve the environment and mitigate human impact that could be applied in every country worldwide.
The first step towards modern concepts of sustainability was made in the 19th century when ecology began to develop as a science. But it was only after the end of the World War II that first informed discussions took place regarding environmental policy within the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations. In the 1960s, intellectuals joined efforts to harmonize the concepts of economic growth and ecological balance, creating the term eco-development in the process.
However, the future of the global environment is a highly complex issue due to the multitude of factors that come into play, such as: climate change, air, water and land pollution, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, etc.
1. Subject Background and Relevance
Some of the first voices, warning about consequences of damaging the environment and calling to take more care of our planet, were raised back in the 19th century with the emergence of ecology as a first step towards the modern concepts of sustainability. But it was not until the end of the World War II that first informed discussions took place regarding environmental policy and became part of the agenda at the United Nations and other international organizations. In the 1960s, intellectuals joined efforts to harmonize the concepts of economic growth and ecological balance, combining them into “eco-development”. The term was introduced by the UN and is attributed to Maurice Strong, who organized the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm and the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (Lopez, Victor 2009), where the interests of the international community were expressed regarding the need to implement environmental improvement processes. These discussions also led to the establishment of first multidisciplinary groups and institutions formally charged with proposing alternative solutions to environmental problems. The concept of eco-development was the precursor to what was later termed sustainable development.
In 1992, at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, formally known as the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), “sustainable development” was given its most comprehensive definition: “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” (Lopez Victor, 2009). The UNCED also adopted the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (Rio Declaration of 1992) signed by 150 member-countries, and resulted in the first formal commitment to sustainable development in nine priority areas. In addition, it agreed Agenda 21 for each country as a way to ensure sustainable future of the nations.
It is also important to remember that in 1987 the UN's World Commission for Environment and Development released the report Our Common Future, known as the Brundtland Report, after the Commission's chairwoman, Gro Harlem Brundt- land. The report gave a stark warning that humanity must change its modes of life and business interaction if it did not want to see the coming of an era marked by unacceptable human suffering and ecological degradation (Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future, 1987). This document also provided the above-quoted definition of Sustainable Development, the attainment of which involved three major phases to:
1. Investigate the critical issues of development and the environment and make proposals to address them.
2. Propose new forms of international cooperation to influence development and environmental policymaking.
3. Engage individuals, companies and governments in efforts to protect the environment.
This was followed up with summits, intergovernmental meetings and international forums, focused on finding ways to act on the three objectives listed above that are still relevant today, and to identify effective solutions for safeguarding the environment. Among many important events in the history of international cooperation on sustainable development, a key milestone was the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015 and ratified by many UN members since 2016. This international treaty on climate change laid the groundwork for Agenda 2030, recently updated as Agenda 2045, which defines 17 goals and 169 targets of sustainable development, all of them designed to preserve the environment and protect humanity and all life on Earth.
But the future of the global environment is a complex issue involving multiple factors, such as climate change, pollution of air, water and land, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, etc.
Clearly, climate change is one of the biggest threats to the environment affected by rising global temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions. Nowadays, the climate is characterized by dramatic seasonal shifts and extreme weather conditions, including more intense hurricanes, prolonged droughts and very strong heat waves.
Regarding biodiversity, the Pulse 2024 report reveals a staggering 73% decline in global wildlife populations over the past 50 years. Freshwater species have suffered the greatest decline of 85%, followed by terrestrial (69%) and marine (56%) populations. As biodiversity reaches a critical tipping point, urgent action is needed to protect ecosystems and ensure a sustainable future. Note that, at this rate, the loss of biodiversity threatens not only ecosystems, but our own survival as well.
As for deforestation, the Forest Pulse Report and the State of the World's Forests report show that deforestation rates have slowed down in comparison with previous decades. However, forest fires in 2023 affected 6,687 million hectares of forests worldwide, releasing 6,687 megatons of carbon dioxide. It is critical to consider the balance between deforestation that reduces absorption of carbon dioxide and is harmful to wildlife, and the needs of agriculture, which feeds the entire population of our planet and is essential to its survival.
Finally, air, water and soil pollution has increased. According to Digital Ecology, in 2024, the rate of global pollution has become critical and a major concern for scientists and policymakers. According to recent reports, air pollution is estimated to have reached an average of 29% in urban areas, edging up from 27% in 2020. This uptick is partly due to the post-pandemic economic recovery and increased industrial activity. Water pollution data is also alarming as 20% of the world's freshwater sources are contaminated with chemical and biological agents. Given that this parameter was only 15% in 2019, this indicates a worrying trend that underscores the need to implement more effective water conservation and treatment measures.
Reports on solid waste pollution also paint a grim picture. In 2024, the world produced approximately 2.01 billion tons of waste per year, an increase of 10% over 2020. Listed below are some key facts about waste management in today’s world:
• Only 13 % of this waste is properly recycled.
• 50% of plastic waste ends up in landfills or the environment.
• Waste incineration contributes significantly to air pollution.
It is evident that the issue of environmental protection urgently calls for short, medium and long-term solutions.
Proposal for a conservation/mitigation solution and conclusions
It should be noted that the following proposal, based on my doctoral research, sets out a potential solution for conservation of the environment and mitigation of human impact that can be replicated across all countries worldwide subject to the political will of their governments.
The proposal is to create Sustainable Strategic Knowledge Partnerships. Due to the constraints of the essay format, I will describe them only briefly without specifying the roles of each participant. Such Partnerships require the full participation of all institutions within the global community: 1. Universities and research centers, 2. NGOs (civil associations and foundations), 3. Business community, 4. Government, including federal, regional and municipal levels, and 5. International organizations.
These Sustainable Strategic Knowledge Partnerships should come up with their respective national projects as part of strategic national plans that would ensure continuity without limiting the development of the countries.
To conclude, it can be said that there is no lack of proposed solutions to tackle environmental challenges. However, without adequate political alignment between nations around the world, these solutions cannot be effectively implemented, jeopardizing natural conservation and impact mitigation efforts as well as the very survival of life of Earth. So we must act now - as if we ought to have done it yesterday.
Социальные сети Instagram и Facebook запрещены в РФ. Решением суда от 21.03.2022 компания Meta признана экстремистской организацией на территории Российской Федерации.
