Is Mankind Harming the Environment? Essay

This paper ordain discuss whether human being has played a role in harming the environment. It willing talk in detail slightly the several(a) human activities that gravel had an impact on our graphic habitat and will alike give special examples of what we should expect in the future as a upshot of our activities and how we should deal with them. Mankind has several natural resources at his disposal. These include the oceans, atmosphere, forests etc. Any misuse or overuse of these resources will eventually reverse the sustainability of these resources.The fish population may become extinct, climate intensifys may result in an step-up in natural disasters, forests may not be replaceable etc. In short, abuse or unoceansonable use of the environmental resources may result in long term consequences for the entire humans. (Ostrom, Elinor et al 2002) thither is significant evidence to prove that mankind has indeed played a major role in harming the environment. Most the earth s fisheries have already been destroyed and the Amazon rain forest is also near destruction.Humans have destroyed to a greater extent than 30 per cent of the natural world since 1970 with hard depletion of the forest, fresh water supply and marine systems on which life depend. (Guardian 1998) This combined with the persistent increase in greenhouse blow emissions have resulted in a massive increase in ozone layer depletion and world-wide melting. This in daily round has resulted in climate substitute all over the world causing an increase in the absolute frequency of floods, droughts, hurricanes, extremities of weather, coastal erosion, melting glaciers etc.No doubt global warming is the result of mans own activities. Human activities which produce increasing amounts of greenhouse gases especially snow dioxide from burn mark fossil evoke ar causing global warming all across the world. Global warming has even caused the sea level to rise between four and eight inches duri ng the last hundred classs and every year seal level now rises one tenth of an inch. If mankind continues to emit greenhouse gases at the kindred pose it will result in serious environmental degradation as well as negative effects on human health.(Mank, Bradford 2005) As Athanasiou and Baer put it, Even if we track down quickly to bonnet the emission of greenhouse pollutants a politically and diplomatically impossible scenario at present, the consequences of global warming will curtly become quite sinful, and even murderous, particularly for the poor and the vulnerable. And in the more likely case where we move slowly, the impacts will verge on catastrophic. Maximum contribution towards environmental degradation comes from industrialized countries as about one-half of all greenhouse gas emissions come from these regions.For example the United States produces about one hindquarters of the worlds greenhouse gases. (Harris, Paul 2003) Climatologists suggest that average temper atures globally are expected to increase between three and ten degrees Fahrenheit by the next century. They also predict that climate change will also cause new problems because of a persistent degradation of our ecosystem. Rising sea levels, severe natural disasters such as hurricanes, drought, floods, air pollution, spread of diseases like malaria and cholera and other environmental disasters are all negative consequences of global warming.(Smith, Daniel S. 2001) Some scientists have even predicted that human activities and increasing greenhouse gases will make the Earth so warm that the inhabitants will be unable to adapt to the changing climate. The predicted results of this warming include melting of the polar ice caps, flooding of coastal cities, massive extinction of species, and the deterioration of civilization as we know it. (Parsons, Michael L. 1995) Increasing globalization and mans desire to accumulate more and more profit has also played a major role in harming the environment.Increased use of free energy has resulted in a widespread increase in greenhouse gas emission from fossil give the axe use and this has resulted in an increase in global warming. If humans dont take whatsoever action, global warming will continue to increase. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that basic changes in personalised consumption, mostly in the realms of electricity use, climate control, and transportation, can reduce the average Americans carbon emissions by roughly one-third, from 15,000 to 10,000 pounds per year.Further reductions can be achieved through changing consumption patterns of food and consumer goods, incomplete of which is included in those calculations. If combined with more efficient technology, this sort of realignment of priorities would substantially reduce the threat of global warming, as well as variety of other environmental problems. (Smith, Daniel S. 2001) Mankinds level of water consumption is also constantly on the ri se and it is predicted that water shortage may become mankinds biggest problem in the twenty first century.It is estimated that up two thirds of the worlds countries will face moderate to high water shortages by 2025. This accompanied with increasing air, water and waste pollution due to extensive industrial development has further deteriorated our environment. Greater use of fossil fuel and biomass burning and land clearing have led to a increase in nitrogen that has in turn, otiose the absorptive capacity of natural system.While the above evidence demonstrates mankinds contribution to environmental deterioration, thither are supporters who insist that man has played such a negative role. They tactile property that there hasnt been such a major impact on the environment to begin with and that the consequences have been overstated to a large extent. Those who support globalization and deny its negative impact on the environment feel that economic progress is closely linked to env ironmental performance but in a dictatorial manner.They feel that it is in fact economic prosperity that may lead to a cleaner environment. The system of logic behind this argument is that by adopting new and improved technologies, industries will have a less disadvantageous impact on the environment and economic progress would enable countries to bring changes into their mode of operation and stay fresh the environment from harm. (John, Detlef).On the other hand a report by by the Working conference on Development and Environment in the Americas (U.S, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica and El-Salvador) shows that industrial development and globalization has caused severe defame to the environment and highlights that the Americas now have growing problems with air, soil and water contamination as a result of globalization, urbanization and modernization. (Schalatek, Liane 2004) Human activities have destroyed our natural habitat, have resulted in accelerating global warming and have contributed to air and water pollution.The amount of greenhouse gases being emitted today is sufficient to cause considerable harm to the environment. The ozone layer is being depleted continuously, a number of pesticides and other organic pollutants have been spread globally endangering hormonal balances and the immune system in man and animals. Increasing dependence on natural resources has resulted in a rapid depletion of tropical forests and fisheries.Many regions are facing problems of water shortage, resource depletion, climate change risks from biological agents etc. (Dahl, Lynn 1998) There has been a decline in plants, animals, insects and birds. According to the UN, the current extinction rate is up to 1000 times faster than in the past. It is estimated that around 844 animals and plants have disappeared in the last cholecalciferol years. The global demand for biological resources now exceeds the planets capacity to renew them by 20%. (Adam, David 2006).