From the end of the last Ice Age over last 10,000 years the world has lost one-third of its forests. An area twice the size of the United States.
What is alarming that between the time I got to hold my first teddy ( that too of the photographer) and till my holding multiple during the course of 65 years 9834 sq km forest area, entire area of USA has been destroyed to pave way for agricultural farmlands, logging, mining and urbanisation.
Another major environmental change is the decline of many animal populations, both on land and in the sea. Human activities such as overfishing, poaching, and habitat destruction have led to significant declines in many species, and some have even gone extinct. In addition, climate change is also having an impact on animal populations, as changing temperatures and weather patterns can disrupt migration patterns, alter breeding cycles, and affect food availability
According to the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report, the global wildlife population declined by an average of 68% between 1970 and 2016. Some of the most severely affected animal populations include African elephants, which declined by 86% between 1979 and 2015, and marine mammals, which have declined by 50% since 1970.
Climate change is another major environmental change that has occurred in the past 70 years. The increased use of fossil fuels and other human activities have led to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, which are causing global temperatures to rise. This is leading to changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events such as hurricanes, droughts, and floods.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), global temperatures have risen by approximately 1.1°C primarily due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation. This has led to a range of environmental impacts, including melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and more frequent and severe weather events such as hurricanes and droughts.
We humans have taken over the world at the cost of every other living habitat. When I was holding 1 teddy we were 2.5 billions and as I hold 3 Teddy bears we are 7.8 billions and the forest cover has been reduced to 46%.
We are cutting down over 15 billion trees each year. 70% of the mass of birds on our planet are domestic birds being raised along with 60% of the mammals are raised to serve our food and other needs.
WE ARE REPLACING THE WILD WITH THE TAME. OUR PLANET IS BEING RUN BY HUMANS FOR HUMANS.
If we do not pay heed and continue like this, the future that stares at our face will be as follows:
2030 The Amazon forest will be reduced to such an extent that the world water cycle will be altered to our peril and the Artic summer will be without the ice cap
2040 Through the North frozen frozen soil will release methane changing climate dramatically.
2080 The soil becomes exhausted on account of overuse, food production reduces drastically. Weather will become unpredictable.
2100 The world temperature will rise by 4 degrees and parts of the world will become inhabitable.
If we do not take action now the loss of our civilization and extinction of much of our Natural World is on the horizon.
However the good news is that many countries and Environmental Organisations have started corrective steps.
According to Sir Richard Attenborough it is simple – WE SHOULD REWILD THE WORLD
Once we are able to restore biodiversity we will be able to restore stability and that is only to our advantage.
We should understand that the Natural World is more tenacious and adapted to rebuild itself.
Allah forbid if sixth extinction does happen- humanity will be lost but the Natural World will slowly and surely build itself.
It is a fact that we are witnessing at the Chernobyl Exclusive zone, where just within 30 years the wild has reclaimed the space and we humans are no where to be seen.
I conclude by sharing the following pictures of the reality that we humans face, if we do not take corrective action for the betterment of our future generation.
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hikmaahblog 
Very true and dangerously scary if proper course of action is not initiated by not a few but everyone at every level.
Kudos to your sharing this valuable article. It is a great eye opener.
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