Banshee
08-20-02, 01:38 PM
This message came in my e-mails today and I think it is worth reading it. I will not comment on it right now. Just read it.
Be assured I will get back to this.
STATE OF THE EARTH (More Good News)
Recently there was an announcement in the news that 49% of the 48 contiguous United States was in a drought condition. There has also been talk of water shortages, polluted water supplies, and the possible future privatization of water.
My state California has had the least rainfall this year since
the start of rainfall records and conservation policies are
now in effect.
After that announcement another one stated that about 30% of the food available to ocean fish has disappeared and that if the
present rate of decline continues, the fish are in real trouble,
and so are we!
From the United Nations Environmental Programme...
"Most Recent State of the Earth Report
from the United Nations Environment Programme
"From a global perspective the environment has continued to degrade during the past decade, and significant environmental problems remain deeply
embedded in the socio-economic fabric of nations in all regions. Progress towards a global sustainable future is just too slow. A sense of urgency is
lacking. Internationally and nationally, the funds and political will are insufficient to halt further global environmental degradation and to address the most pressing environmental issues-even though technology and knowledge are available to do so.
The recognition of environmental issues as necessarily long-term and cumulative, with serious global and security implications, remains limited.
The reconciliation of environment and trade regimes in a fair and equitable mannerstill remains a major challenge. The continued preoccupation with immediate local and national issues and a general lack of sustained interest in global and long-term environmental issues remain major impediments to
environmental progress internationally. Global governance structures and global environmental solidarity remain too weak to make progress a world-wide reality. As a result, the gap between what has been done thus far and what is realistically needed is widening.
Comprehensive response mechanisms have not yet been fully internalized at the national level. The development at local, national, and regional levels of effective environmental legislation and of fiscal and economic instruments has not kept pace with the increase in environmental institutions. In the private sector, environmental advances by several major transnational corporations are not reflected widely in the practices of
small- and medium-sized companies that form the backbone of economies in many countries.
In the future, the continued degradation of natural resources, shortcomings in environmental responses, and renewable resource constraints may increasingly lead to food insecurity and conflict situations. Changes in global biogeochemical cycles and the complex interactions between environmental problems such as climate change, ozone depletion, and acidification may have impacts that will confront local, regional, and global communities with situations they are unprepared for. Previously unknown risks to human health are becoming evident from the cumulative and
persistent effects of a whole range of chemicals, particularly the
persistent organic pollutants. The effects of climate variability and change are already increasing the incidence of familiar public health problems and leading to new ones, including a more extensive reach of vectorborne diseases and a higher incidence of heat-related illness and mortality. If significant major policy reforms are not implemented quickly, the future might hold more such surprises.
GEO-1 substantiates the need for the world to embark on major structural changes and to pursue environmental and associated socio-economic policies vigorously. Key areas for action must embrace the use of alternative and renewable energy resources, cleaner and leaner production systems world-wide, and concerted global action for the protection and conservation
of the world's finite and irreplaceable fresh-water resources."
There you have it. We are all in peril and may still have the
opportunity to act wisely and save the earth for future generations,but the probability of this happening is decreasing with eachpassing year and we may all have to face a very uncertain future and a very different world.
Looking at this in light of my last post on the New Face of War,
we can see those social-economic conditions of competition for
space, food, water, and other resources may lead to new theaters of conflict in the world. We pride ourselves on this of reason, but what we have managed to accomplish in the twentieth century is beyond all reason.
How much stress can the planet take before it breaks?
Sincerely,
Bill Hamilton
Executive Director
Skywatch International, Inc.
Website:
http://www.skywatch-research.org
Fiat Lux et Veritas
Be assured I will get back to this.
STATE OF THE EARTH (More Good News)
Recently there was an announcement in the news that 49% of the 48 contiguous United States was in a drought condition. There has also been talk of water shortages, polluted water supplies, and the possible future privatization of water.
My state California has had the least rainfall this year since
the start of rainfall records and conservation policies are
now in effect.
After that announcement another one stated that about 30% of the food available to ocean fish has disappeared and that if the
present rate of decline continues, the fish are in real trouble,
and so are we!
From the United Nations Environmental Programme...
"Most Recent State of the Earth Report
from the United Nations Environment Programme
"From a global perspective the environment has continued to degrade during the past decade, and significant environmental problems remain deeply
embedded in the socio-economic fabric of nations in all regions. Progress towards a global sustainable future is just too slow. A sense of urgency is
lacking. Internationally and nationally, the funds and political will are insufficient to halt further global environmental degradation and to address the most pressing environmental issues-even though technology and knowledge are available to do so.
The recognition of environmental issues as necessarily long-term and cumulative, with serious global and security implications, remains limited.
The reconciliation of environment and trade regimes in a fair and equitable mannerstill remains a major challenge. The continued preoccupation with immediate local and national issues and a general lack of sustained interest in global and long-term environmental issues remain major impediments to
environmental progress internationally. Global governance structures and global environmental solidarity remain too weak to make progress a world-wide reality. As a result, the gap between what has been done thus far and what is realistically needed is widening.
Comprehensive response mechanisms have not yet been fully internalized at the national level. The development at local, national, and regional levels of effective environmental legislation and of fiscal and economic instruments has not kept pace with the increase in environmental institutions. In the private sector, environmental advances by several major transnational corporations are not reflected widely in the practices of
small- and medium-sized companies that form the backbone of economies in many countries.
In the future, the continued degradation of natural resources, shortcomings in environmental responses, and renewable resource constraints may increasingly lead to food insecurity and conflict situations. Changes in global biogeochemical cycles and the complex interactions between environmental problems such as climate change, ozone depletion, and acidification may have impacts that will confront local, regional, and global communities with situations they are unprepared for. Previously unknown risks to human health are becoming evident from the cumulative and
persistent effects of a whole range of chemicals, particularly the
persistent organic pollutants. The effects of climate variability and change are already increasing the incidence of familiar public health problems and leading to new ones, including a more extensive reach of vectorborne diseases and a higher incidence of heat-related illness and mortality. If significant major policy reforms are not implemented quickly, the future might hold more such surprises.
GEO-1 substantiates the need for the world to embark on major structural changes and to pursue environmental and associated socio-economic policies vigorously. Key areas for action must embrace the use of alternative and renewable energy resources, cleaner and leaner production systems world-wide, and concerted global action for the protection and conservation
of the world's finite and irreplaceable fresh-water resources."
There you have it. We are all in peril and may still have the
opportunity to act wisely and save the earth for future generations,but the probability of this happening is decreasing with eachpassing year and we may all have to face a very uncertain future and a very different world.
Looking at this in light of my last post on the New Face of War,
we can see those social-economic conditions of competition for
space, food, water, and other resources may lead to new theaters of conflict in the world. We pride ourselves on this of reason, but what we have managed to accomplish in the twentieth century is beyond all reason.
How much stress can the planet take before it breaks?
Sincerely,
Bill Hamilton
Executive Director
Skywatch International, Inc.
Website:
http://www.skywatch-research.org
Fiat Lux et Veritas