Conference Presentation, Panel
Earth on the Brink: A Sixth Extinction, or a Breakthrough in Biodiversity?
- Scientists predict a potential loss of 50% of species over the next 100 years, representing a unique human-caused mass extinction trajectory.
- Earth systems have been fundamentally altered by humans, staving off a natural ice age and moving toward a critical, though uncertain, tipping point.
- Ocean warming is currently killing phytoplankton, which poses a risk of future oxygen loss.
- By 2020, it is projected that two-thirds of the global population (5 billion people) will have internet access, significantly expanding knowledge and enabling open innovation.
- Petro-states are expected to recognize the end of oil within the next couple of decades due to the economics of renewables like wind and solar.
- A 100% ban on ivory trade is considered necessary to significantly reduce value per kilo, while the US has stepped back on importing animal trophies, creating market confusion.
- The Vietnamese government plans to make a public announcement to end bear farming and eliminate the remaining 900 bears on biofarms.
- Mitigating future resource strain is expected to occur by stopping the "population bomb" through educating girls and family planning.
- A shift to a plant-based diet is viewed as a necessary strategy to mitigate climate change and hunger.
- Millennials are expected to vote for younger candidates who are accountable for clean water, air, and soil.
- Companies are expected to assume responsibility for social sustainability as governments struggle with complex problems.
- Investing in conservation technology is anticipated to create local jobs and provide a return on investment, while rolling back regulations is not considered a winning strategy.
- If nuclear weapons are not managed, there is a risk of nuclear famine causing the death of one to two billion people.
- Children currently spend eight to ten hours daily on screens, creating a disconnection from natural resource support systems essential for future protection efforts.
- Future generations may question inaction regarding environmental and resource crises if current trends continue.
- Driving less may result in fewer social connections, while reducing meat consumption is expected to improve individual health.
- Technology, an aware public, and economic needs provide an opportunity to transform current dramatic changes into solutions.