By...Hrh Sadeeq Gumel
Sgumel@yahoo.com
There are major environmental issues
that require urgent attention to make the
ecology friendly.
1. Global warming : This has been considered
as the most pressing environmental
issue. Climate change is real and it is
influenced by human activities through
the production of green house gases such
as methane and carbon dioxide. Global
warming is necessitated by the ability of
our ecosystem to respond to climate
change due to compromised
environment. Global warming has the
effect of melting polar ice caps,
displacing people form tropical and
coastal islands and can ultimately
threaten the survival of human race.
2. Clean and Renewable energy: This is
second only to climate change. The
human race is faced with the
environmental problem of cleaning up
or replacing the burning of fossil fuels
that enhanced industrial revolution
during 18th century. Unless a clean and
renewable energy is found as an
alternative, our planet risks being
turned into an inhabitable and hostile
not fit for human survival. There is need
for the development and adoption of
clean energy.
3. Ocean system collapse : Oceans - critical
part of Earths support system and are
considered to pose huge risks and sink
for atmospheric oxygen and carbon
dioxide. It is important to prevent ocean
systems from collapse since the over
exploitation of oceans might result in the
collapse of the fishing industry. Acid
rain resulting from industrial pollution
has pollutes oceans and seas hence
killing coral reefs; this has the effect of
threatening tourism. Oceans are
degraded by spills, run off chemicals.
4. Electronic & Nuclear Waste: This type of
wastes can cause massive pollution and
several health complications. Millions of
electronic products such as computers,
laptops, television sets and mobile
phones are discarded annually in
developed countries and dumped into
third world societies. The recovery of
these products in the developing
economies can result in the release of
hazardous materials such as lead,
mercury, heavy metals and many other
toxic substances. This will harm the
workers that are exposed to the
dangerous materials. These wastes are
the modern environmental threats due to
technological advancements. The
disposal of nuclear wastes from the
reactors poses major risks to the
environment. Nuclear wastes such as
Plutonium-239 are very dangerous when
released to the environment, same to
isotopes. Currently there are 31 countries
with nuclear reactors.
5.Water degradation : In the modern world
the quality of water is under threat form
the fast growing population. The quality
of inland water is under compromise
from dumped industrial and chemical
wastes, untreated sewage, medicinal
residues and fertilizes and chemical run
off. The above activities worsen the
already existing problem of water
pollution. The increased use of
underground water in coastal regions
results in the intrusion of salt water.
Water wars are not becoming a reality.
6.Land rush : The world’s population is
growing at a faster rate. This has led to
large number of people being declared
food-insecure; this has therefore resulted
in land rush since nations are
scrambling to secure land for agriculture
and also to grow bio-energy crops to
generate cheap fuels. Slashing and
burning of forests is an ever increasing
practice and it can lead to biodiversity
and ecosystems loss as well as land
degradation. According to the UNEP,
approximately 5 million hectares of land
is annually lost through soil erosion and
land degradation. Pastoralists and cattle
ranchers are plundering the Amazon
rain forest at an alarming rate.
7. Biodiversity conservation: Biodiversity is
critical for the survival of the ecosystem
because it can help in food production,
disease control, crop pollination and
recreation. There is need to prioritize
the areas that require conservation.
Increased human population : The world’s
population is increasing at a faster rate.
This has resulted in over consumption,
leading to poverty and other
environmental problems. All the many
environmental issues are caused by the
large population that can not match the
available resources.
8. New technologies : Increased demand for
food globally has forced scientists to
manipulate plant DNA to produce strong
and drought and disease resistant crops.
There is the general fear that GMO
products are harmful to human beings.
When GMO food products are released to
the environment, they may not be
recalled, making it a dangerous global
experiment.
9. Habitat loss : Habitat loss and
fragmentation due to deforestation and
human development. This is considered
as the major cause of diminishing
biodiversity globally. Many species are
faced with extinction.
PROUDLY AN ENVIRONMENTALIST
Sgumel@yahoo.com
There are major environmental issues
that require urgent attention to make the
ecology friendly.
1. Global warming : This has been considered
as the most pressing environmental
issue. Climate change is real and it is
influenced by human activities through
the production of green house gases such
as methane and carbon dioxide. Global
warming is necessitated by the ability of
our ecosystem to respond to climate
change due to compromised
environment. Global warming has the
effect of melting polar ice caps,
displacing people form tropical and
coastal islands and can ultimately
threaten the survival of human race.
2. Clean and Renewable energy: This is
second only to climate change. The
human race is faced with the
environmental problem of cleaning up
or replacing the burning of fossil fuels
that enhanced industrial revolution
during 18th century. Unless a clean and
renewable energy is found as an
alternative, our planet risks being
turned into an inhabitable and hostile
not fit for human survival. There is need
for the development and adoption of
clean energy.
3. Ocean system collapse : Oceans - critical
part of Earths support system and are
considered to pose huge risks and sink
for atmospheric oxygen and carbon
dioxide. It is important to prevent ocean
systems from collapse since the over
exploitation of oceans might result in the
collapse of the fishing industry. Acid
rain resulting from industrial pollution
has pollutes oceans and seas hence
killing coral reefs; this has the effect of
threatening tourism. Oceans are
degraded by spills, run off chemicals.
4. Electronic & Nuclear Waste: This type of
wastes can cause massive pollution and
several health complications. Millions of
electronic products such as computers,
laptops, television sets and mobile
phones are discarded annually in
developed countries and dumped into
third world societies. The recovery of
these products in the developing
economies can result in the release of
hazardous materials such as lead,
mercury, heavy metals and many other
toxic substances. This will harm the
workers that are exposed to the
dangerous materials. These wastes are
the modern environmental threats due to
technological advancements. The
disposal of nuclear wastes from the
reactors poses major risks to the
environment. Nuclear wastes such as
Plutonium-239 are very dangerous when
released to the environment, same to
isotopes. Currently there are 31 countries
with nuclear reactors.
5.Water degradation : In the modern world
the quality of water is under threat form
the fast growing population. The quality
of inland water is under compromise
from dumped industrial and chemical
wastes, untreated sewage, medicinal
residues and fertilizes and chemical run
off. The above activities worsen the
already existing problem of water
pollution. The increased use of
underground water in coastal regions
results in the intrusion of salt water.
Water wars are not becoming a reality.
6.Land rush : The world’s population is
growing at a faster rate. This has led to
large number of people being declared
food-insecure; this has therefore resulted
in land rush since nations are
scrambling to secure land for agriculture
and also to grow bio-energy crops to
generate cheap fuels. Slashing and
burning of forests is an ever increasing
practice and it can lead to biodiversity
and ecosystems loss as well as land
degradation. According to the UNEP,
approximately 5 million hectares of land
is annually lost through soil erosion and
land degradation. Pastoralists and cattle
ranchers are plundering the Amazon
rain forest at an alarming rate.
7. Biodiversity conservation: Biodiversity is
critical for the survival of the ecosystem
because it can help in food production,
disease control, crop pollination and
recreation. There is need to prioritize
the areas that require conservation.
Increased human population : The world’s
population is increasing at a faster rate.
This has resulted in over consumption,
leading to poverty and other
environmental problems. All the many
environmental issues are caused by the
large population that can not match the
available resources.
8. New technologies : Increased demand for
food globally has forced scientists to
manipulate plant DNA to produce strong
and drought and disease resistant crops.
There is the general fear that GMO
products are harmful to human beings.
When GMO food products are released to
the environment, they may not be
recalled, making it a dangerous global
experiment.
9. Habitat loss : Habitat loss and
fragmentation due to deforestation and
human development. This is considered
as the major cause of diminishing
biodiversity globally. Many species are
faced with extinction.
PROUDLY AN ENVIRONMENTALIST
keep it up sadeeq......u are truely an environmentalist
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