Research Essay.

Is mankind responsible for the collapse of diversity?

Intro

In comparison to the time few decades ago, the collapse of biodiversity has become more evident.
According to  the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (March 2005), there is a substantial and largely irreversible loss in the diversity of life on Earth, with some 10-30% of the mammal, bird and amphibian species threatened with extinction, due to human actions. One cause that is heavily tied to this problem is the rapid globalisation in the world. Rapid globalisation involves the movement of people across countries and as a result, it makes the world more integrated through the spread of ideas and cultures. Globalisation brings about further development of human activities which resulted in a loss of biodiversity.

Governments were committed to the 2010 biodiversity target to achieve a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth. This target was incorporated under one of the Millennium Development Goals – Ensure Environmental Sustainability.

Thesis statement: Although mankind’s development is the main cause of the collapse of biodiversity, efforts were made to alleviate this problem worldwide.

Body 1

Problem:  Rate of deforestation increases for agriculture purpose

Solution:

·         -zero deforestation campaign by Brazil’s citizens

·         -expand the network of indigenous reserves and protected areas

·         -Strong enforcement of logging laws

Body 2:

Problem: Due to industrialisation, pollution has become one of the greatest threat to global biodiversity

Solution: Spatially and temporally concentrated pollution can be retracted effectively by anthropogenic efforts, and such methods are already in use in such projects as the U.S. Superfund, a program implemented by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to contain hazardous pollution and restore polluted sites. 

References

Biodiversity.sg (2014).  Anthropic Impacts And Biodiversity. Retrieved from http://www.biodiversity.sg/biodiversity-information/view-slideshow/anthropic-impacts-and-biodiversity/pollution-and-biodiversity/

Global issues (2014). Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions. Retrieved from http://www.globalissues.org/article/171/loss-of-biodiversity-and-extinctions#OtherRelatedGlobalIssuesandCauses

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT (2014). Mission 2015: Biodiversity. Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/12.000/www/m2015/2015/solutions_for_industrial_pollution.html

Union of Concerned Scientists (2011). Brazil’s success in reducing deforestation. Retrieved from http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/solutions/stop-deforestation/brazils-reduction-deforestation.html