Episode 74 - Eco-lapse

The IPBES Global Assessment summary is out and we're digging in to all 39 pages this week. The report lays out a grim picture of our current world in terms of life on earth, the ecosystems they create, and our relationship with them that our civilization as we know it depends upon. While not the full 1500+ page report due out later this year, this study is perhaps the most important look at the state of our world that we've ever seen - and if we don't act quickly to fix the problems it so clearly exposes, then nothing less than very the future of humanity may be at risk.

[full transcript available]

Chapters

4:07 "The IPBES report findings on biodiversity, ecosystem services, agriculture, and more"
30:23 Indigenous and Marginalized People
54:02 What Can We Do?

Recommended Material

(1) IPBES Global Assessment Summary

(2)

Listener Comments

I know you know this, but just to point out a mis-speak during your summary of the stats, regarding population explosion and per-capita consumption : "each and every one of us is consuming more than in the past." That's of course true on average, but obscures the fact that some people are consuming no more than before, while some populations are gluttonous.

Sources

@misc{Carol Kaesuk Yoon_1999, title={Stalked by Deadly Virus, Papaya Lives to Breed Again}, url={https://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/20/science/stalked-by-deadly-virus-papaya-lives-to-breed-again.html}, journal={The New York Times}, author={Carol Kaesuk Yoon}, year={1999}, month={Jul} }
@misc{IPBES, title={Media Release: Nature’s Dangerous Decline ‘Unprecedented’; Species Extinction Rates ‘Accelerating’}, url={https://www.ipbes.net/news/Media-Release-Global-Assessment}, journal={IPBES}, author={IPBES} }
@misc{Phillips_2019, title={Experts Predict a Long, Deep Solar Minimum}, url={https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/04/10/experts-predict-the-solar-cycle/}, journal={Spaceweather.com}, author={Phillips, Dr Tony}, year={2019}, month={Apr} }
@misc{Pilkington_2017, title={Hookworm, a disease of extreme poverty, is thriving in the US south. Why?}, url={https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/sep/05/hookworm-lowndes-county-alabama-water-waste-treatment-poverty}, journal={The Guardian}, author={Pilkington, Ed}, year={2017}, month={Sep} }
@misc{Plumer_2019, title={Humans Are Speeding Extinction and Altering the Natural World at an ‘Unprecedented’ Pace}, url={https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/climate/biodiversity-extinction-united-nations.html}, journal={The New York Times}, author={Plumer, Brad}, year={2019}, month={May} }
@misc{SAMCO_2017, title={How Much Does an Industrial Water Treatment System Cost?}, url={https://www.samcotech.com/how-much-does-an-industrial-water-treatment-system-cost/}, journal={Samco Tech}, author={SAMCO}, year={2017}, month={Sep} }
@misc{Stephen Leahy_2019, title={One million species at risk of extinction, UN report warns}, url={https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/05/ipbes-un-biodiversity-report-warns-one-million-species-at-risk/}, journal={Environment}, author={Stephen Leahy}, year={2019}, month={May} }
@misc{UN_2018, title={Sustainable Development Goals - Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform}, url={https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300}, author={UN}, year={2018}, month={Apr} }
@misc{Yardley_2013, title={Report on Bangladesh Building Collapse Finds Widespread Blame}, url={https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/23/world/asia/report-on-bangladesh-building-collapse-finds-widespread-blame.html}, journal={The New York Times}, author={Yardley, Jim}, year={2013}, month={May} }
@book{Berry_2010, place={Berkeley, CA}, edition={Second edition}, title={What Are People For?: Essays}, ISBN={978-1-58243-487-2}, publisher={Counterpoint}, author={Berry, Wendell}, year={2010}, month={May} }
@book{Berry_2014, edition={Reissue edition}, title={Citizenship Papers: Essays}, ISBN={978-1-61902-447-2}, publisher={Counterpoint}, author={Berry, Wendell}, year={2014}, month={Oct} }

Published 16-05-2019 17:59