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Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

theguardian.com

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Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#111

Post by chosenbreed »

rcMgD2BwE72F wrote: post #48
thelastidiot wrote: post #36

More rats and cockroaches in New York, more mosquitoes in Hawaii, more seagulls in Boston, more pigeons in San Francisco, more crows in the bay area, what is this article talking about?!

I don't know if the population of these species is increasing globally but it seems the ones you listed are very unique in the way they relate to humans – see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiosis . I wouldn't be surprised to learn that human overpopulation and profligate consumption make a few species' population to thrive (e.g if they feed on human waste, share habitats, etc) while still causing a mass-extinction…

> I wouldn't be surprised to learn that human overpopulation and profligate consumption make a few species' population to strive

I can think of a few examples. Pigeons, rats, gulls, cockroaches, etc

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#112

Post by mkirklions »

eeZah7Ux wrote: post #71
quantum_magpie wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There has to be political will to completely ban all fishing, hunting and deforestation. Allow rangers and coast guard to kill on sight all violators. At the moment I see no other option to restore wildlife on this planet.

...and animal farming. It's completely unsustainable as well.

The Chicken + Talapia conversion to protein is the most efficient animal protein to build.

If only people knew how to cook and flavor foods, then people wouldnt be reliant on beef to make their foods tasty.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#113

Post by pcarolan »

I think the world seriously needs to consider what we're going to do about Brazil under the leadership of a right wing populist who gained presidency via the support of commercial agriculture. This could be the end of the Amazon as we know it if we sit by.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#114

Post by adwn »

montenegrohugo wrote: post #90
code_duck wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With ‘enough’ technological progress, anything is possible since that’s the definition of enough.

No, technology is constrained by physical and logical laws. No amount of technological progress can make 1+1 = 2. Similarly, it can reasonably be stated that no amount of technological progress will make earth be able to sustain X population

> No amount of technological progress can make 1+1 = 2.

I agree, 1+1=2 will forever remain in the realm of science fiction. But what would humanity be without its hopes and dreams?

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#115

Post by m4n »

pingec wrote: post #9

When I was a child about 20 years ago, I remember going snorkelling near my home in the North Adriatic Sea quite often. I could see crabs, starfish, sea urchins, sea horses, octopuses under rocks and loads of fish. I went back there recently and was shocked to find the water looked clear but there were no animals left inside except for a few fish and a crab here and there. This makes me really sad and pessimistic abo…

Eagles in my case. About 17-18 years ago, West India, I would see huge eagles and ask my dad silly questions. Now we hardly see any crow and sparrow here.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#116

Post by collyw »

afishisafish wrote: post #89
drb91 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The earth definitely has a carrying capacity. Our ability to push our food production further doesn’t change this fact. I’ve seen around 10 billion people floated as a food production limit in several places. Crossing this with climate change, particularly our love of beef and pork, is not easy to disentangle. We may also never hit that carrying capacity if something else other than food supply limits our population…

Assuming that life expectancy will remain the same and that the number of children will also not change Hans Rosling predicted our world population never will exceed 11 billion people. He was a very passionate and entertaining public speaker. https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_overpopulation

Carrying capacity is estimated at 7.7 billion. And I have seen that Hans Roslings predictions have been revised upwards. Doesn't look good either way.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#117

Post by jfk13 »

FriedPickles wrote: post #5

If this headline feels overwhelming to you, I highly recommend this article by Stewart Brand: https://aeon.co/essays/we-are-not-edging-up-to-a-mass-extinc... Note that it’s animal populations that are decreasing rapidly, not species.

> Note that it’s animal populations that are decreasing rapidly, not species.

Really?

"Scientists estimate we're now losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the background rate ... as many as 30 to 50 percent of all species possibly heading toward extinction by mid-century"[1].

I'm sure estimates vary widely, but that sounds rapid to me.

[1] https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/biodiversity/el...

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#118

Post by sambull »

quickthrower2 wrote: post #30
Cthulhu_ wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm afraid the problem will fix itself soon enough. WW3 could be around the corner according to the people behind the Doomsday Clock. Climate change will cause famine, natural disasters and mass migrations. Poverty, overpriced health care and a lack of common social structure (every man for himself) will lower the life expectancy again after decades of increase.

But does that fix it? Isn't it a vicious cycle once methane is released from the melting ice. And a collapsed civilisation won't have the budget to fix it.

No it doesn't unfortunately. Even with no 1% pop going forward we would still have to remove the cco2 and find a way to regulate our temp. The time line makes it sound like those evil hippies were right but lost so we all have.

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#119

Post by Jach »

afishisafish wrote: post #89
drb91 wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The earth definitely has a carrying capacity. Our ability to push our food production further doesn’t change this fact. I’ve seen around 10 billion people floated as a food production limit in several places. Crossing this with climate change, particularly our love of beef and pork, is not easy to disentangle. We may also never hit that carrying capacity if something else other than food supply limits our population…

Assuming that life expectancy will remain the same and that the number of children will also not change Hans Rosling predicted our world population never will exceed 11 billion people. He was a very passionate and entertaining public speaker. https://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_...

Does anything in his talk refute the UN projection of over 11 billion people by 2100? https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/world...

Re: Humanity has wiped out 60% of animals since 1970, major report finds

#120

Post by tonyedgecombe »

trentnix wrote: post #49
tonyedgecombe wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

HN doesn't really do sarcasm. There is an interesting point here though, we will never get a grip on this problem whilst the primary focus of politicians is growth. The idea that you can fix this without some lifestyle sacrifice is probably false. If we want a sustainable future it won't include foreign holidays, personal cars, juicy steaks and shiny toys.

And by what conditions would the problem be judged as fixed? I’ll believe it’s a real crisis when the people insisting it is actually live like it is. But while they get their Starbucks and fly on their planes and watch their Netflix and shop their Whole Foods and stack their Amazon boxes all while claiming we need to collectively engage in some sort of “lifestyle sacrifice”, I remain skeptical. If such a sacrifice i…

>If such a sacrifice is indeed necessary, you should get started immediately and not wait for the government to force that sacrifice on you.

I started a long time ago, haven't been on a plane for 18 years, don't own a car, barely eat any meat. I'm just waiting for you now.

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