Sunday, May 12, 2019

Here are 5 ways people are speeding up the extinction of species | Science News

Common sense but where is common sense today?

Stories about individual species on the brink of extinction may be all too familiar. But a new tally now reveals the breadth of the conservation crisis: One million of the world’s species are now poised to vanish, some as soon as within the next few decades.

golden toad
GONE GOLD  The last recorded sighting of the golden toad Incilius periglenes, once abundant in the cloud forests of Central America, was on May 15, 1989.

That number, which amounts to 1 in every 8 animal or plant species on Earth, comes from a sweeping new analysis of about 15,000 studies conducted within the last 50 years on topics ranging from biodiversity to climate to the health of ecosystems. During that time, the human population has doubled, increasing from 3.7 billion in 1970 to 7.6 billion today. And people are behind the looming losses, an international group of scientists says.

Continue reading at: Here are 5 ways people are speeding up the extinction of species | Science News

Political will to fight climate change is fading, warns UN chief - BBC News

Avengers - The Endgame. Maybe it is time for humanity to focus on the real endgame and end the oblivion and distractions - or disappear from the planet...
Political will to fight climate change is fading, warns UN chief - BBC News

Thursday, May 9, 2019

What Losing 1 Million Species Means for the Planet — and Humanity • The Revelator

A new UN report finds that at least 1 million species are at risk of extinction. Will this finally be enough to motivate worldwide action?
The United Nations this week released a powerful report on the state of nature around the planet. Among its disheartening conclusions, the report — by hundreds of experts from 50 countries — estimates that a staggering 1 million species are at risk of extinction in the next few decades due to human-related causes.
Continue reading at: What Losing 1 Million Species Means for the Planet — and Humanity • The Revelator

Saturday, May 4, 2019

Konstanz becomes first German city to declare climate emergency

I am very proud of my Alma mater.

Konstanz becomes first German city to declare climate emergency

Konstanz becomes first German city to declare climate emergency

Southern German city declares ‘climate emergency’

I am so proud of my Alma mater to follow the UKs example.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/southern-german-city-declares-climate-emergency/2019/05/03/32f25b9a-6da5-11e9-bbe7-1c798fb80536_story.html

Friday, May 3, 2019

Food safety: Dung beetles and soil bacteria reduce risk of human pathogens -- ScienceDaily

Food safety regulations increasingly pressure growers to remove hedgerows, ponds and other natural habitats from farms to keep out pathogen-carrying wildlife and livestock. Yet, this could come at the cost of biodiversity. New research encourages the presence of dung beetles and soil bacteria at farms as they naturally suppress E. coli and other harmful pathogens before spreading to humans.

Continue reading at: Food safety: Dung beetles and soil bacteria reduce risk of human pathogens -- ScienceDaily

Thursday, May 2, 2019

UK Parliament declares climate change emergency - BBC News

This is leadership needed from every government!



MPs have approved a motion to declare an environment and climate emergency.

This proposal, which demonstrates the will of the Commons on the issue but does not legally compel the government to act, was approved without a vote.

Climate protesters in Westminster

Continue reading at: UK Parliament declares climate change emergency - BBC News