15 Thousand Scientists Sign Alarming Warning

The tone of the letter to humanity signed by over 15,000 scientists from 184 countries is grave: almost all the major threats identified 25 years ago have become even more worrying

Twenty-five years after scientists around the world issued a "warning to humanity" about the danger of ignoring the environment, a new alert, released on Monday, warns that most of the planet's major problems are worsening significantly. Exception made for the hole in the ozone layer, thanks to the reduction of the use of aerosols and pollutants that originated it.

Published in BioScience, this "second notice" is signed by more than 15 thousand scientists from a total of 184 countries. The first letter, dated 1992, was endorsed by 1700 specialists. Since then, virtually all major threats to the environment have worsened, notably the growth of the world's population - another 2 billion, equivalent to a 35 percent increase. Carbon dioxide emissions from the use of fossil fuels, unsustainable agriculture, deforestation, lack of potable water, loss of marine life and increased so-called dead zones in the oceans are other serious threats.

"We are risking our future," they caution, stressing that it is "especially worrying" that the world continues to move towards "potentially catastrophic climate change due to increased greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels."

Scientists also warn of the effects of human activities on animals, which are disappearing "at an unprecedented rate."

"We have set off a mass extinction event, the sixth in about 540 million years, where many present life forms may be annihilated or at least threatened with extinction by the end of this century," the document reads.

"It will soon be too late to change the course of our downward trajectory and time is running out," write the scientists, noting that it is necessary to "recognize in our day-to-day life and in our institutions of government that the Earth, like your whole life, is our only home. " And to improve the prospects of humanity in this house, the signatories point out some necessary steps, ranging from making contraception more accessible to bet on plant-based nutrition and renewable energy.

SAISI