19 out of 20 ecosystems are on the verge of collapse

This week we are again concerned with climate change. In addition to the daily news about the coronavirus, we are also increasingly receiving news about the consequences of global warming. After a high-ranking researcher warned of worst-case scenarios last week, renowned scientists from Australia are now trying to prevent the destruction of ecosystems.

Australia has long been a problem child when it comes to climate change. The local government does not have the issue of protecting the environment and species on their list of priorities; large areas of land burn year after year due to persistent drought and heat. Many ecosystems in Australia, Antarctica and other continents could now fall victim to the climate.

38 researchers: inside 29 universities and government agencies warn that, among other things, coral reefs, tropical savannas, dry deserts in the outback, the waterways of the Murray-Darling basin, mangroves in the Gulf of Carpentaria and forests that differ from the rainforests in the high Extending north to Gondwana-era conifers in Tasmania, could soon collapse.

19 out of 20 ecosystems are at a turning point. If this is exceeded, damage can no longer be reversed, and biodiversity would also suffer. The areas are not only affected by higher temperatures; the decline in land, invasive species, heat waves, fires and storms also contribute to the approaching collapse.

But there is also a light at the end of the tunnel. To this day, none of the 19 ecosystems has collapsed, so quick and consistent measures could be the salvation. Whether these will come is another matter. Australia is the country where most of the mammals became extinct in the past 200 years.

Own opinion:

It is getting more and more serious, climate change will sometimes also decide which corners of the world will still be worth living in in the future. It’s strange: Many Australians recognize climate change as the greatest danger, but the local government still seems to remain in a state of shock. That can cost the country dearly, so whether Sidney and Co. will still be defined as a travel destination in 10 years remains to be seen.

via The Guardian