Since the early 2000’s, the United Nations Environment Program has published a yearly writing presenting current prominent issues in our global environment. Originally used to inform the public of excess nitrogen causing dead zones in coastal waters, the publication soon became a "yearbook" of various environmental threats. In looking at the 2014, 2016, and 2017 editions, I was able to identify a trend in which issues are becoming less specific, but rather over-arching consequences that a greater population is going to be affected by. There has also been a step taken by UNEP in 2017, in identifying solutions to larger issues, such as advancements in renewable and solar energy, and how to reverse environmental displacement. In first looking at the 2014 report, I was overwhelmed by the number of current environmental issues in crisis that we face across the world. From the emergence of infectious diseases, to illegal trade in wildlife (which was an emerging issue that had presumably found temporary solace, only to rise back on the list of hot topics due to current political turmoil), to plastic debris in the ocean. While stated to simply be global concerns, it seems as though these issues need to be observed and confronted by global resolution and execution, in order to find solutions across all ecosystems.
"Loss and Damage: The unavoidable impacts of climate change on ecosystems"
This category in the 2016 issue continues to stick with me as I conclude my exploration of the Anthropocene and move into other research. As the commonality of an unpredictably volatile climate is occurring at exponential rates, more and more ecosystems are becoming uninhabitable and/or wiped out by (un)natural disasters. In tossing around concepts of Darwin's theories of 'survival of the fittest,' those who are best equipped to survive in a given environment will survive and continue to evolve to meet the needs of that environment. However, if the climate continues to change at an exponential rate, and in such a volatile and unpredictable fashion, many, if not all, species will not have the time to evolve or adapt to the 'new' environment. While I can't help but wander into ideas of a period of mass extinction, I refrain from doing so as I acknowledge the lack of research and knowledge I currently have in my skill set to prove this notion, let alone form such a hypothesis.
While the list of emerging issues has lessened, presumably conveying that less issues are being faced world-wide, that has unfortunately not been the case. Rather, each emerging issue is a multi-faceted concern encompassing a broader range of issues. With these growing concerns comes an ever-growing urgency to solve them. The current -cene as we know it, confronted with so many urgent issues, seems to face an ultimatum between people and all else. In order to approach this, Anthropogenic advancements should weigh additional value in environmental conservation and biodiversity in order to prevent further detriments. New environmental action must to be taken to shrink our carbon footprint before current climate issues prove irreversible.
UNEP. UNEP Year Book 2014: Emerging Issues in Our Global Environment. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme, 2014.
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UNEP. UNEP Frontiers 2016: Emerging Issues of Environment Concern. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme, 2016.
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UNEP. UNEP Frontiers 2017: Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern. Nairobi, Kenya: United Nations Environment Programme, 2017.