[LUM#8] Nature in crisis

[LUM Magazine] - Published on November 13, 2018 in Science-Society

Twenty-five years ago, researchers expressed concern that "humanity is pushing ecosystems beyond their capacity to sustain the fabric of life." This concern is more relevant than ever in the face of a biodiversity crisis that remains one of the key challenges facing our societies.

"We are jeopardizing our future." This is the warning issued by 15,000 scientists who are concerned about the state of our planet. In an article published in November 2017 in the scientific journal BioScience, researchers denounce in particular a "mass extinction phenomenon at the end of which many forms of life could disappear completely, or at least find themselves on the brink of extinction by the end of the century." An alarming assessment? "Yes, our planet is going through an unprecedented ecological crisis,"confirms Vincent Devictor.

How many species disappear every day? "It is impossible to answer this question precisely, but one thing is certain: the current rate and scale of species extinction is greater than what occurred during major extinction events in the past," explains the ecologist from the Institute of Evolutionary Sciences in Montpellier. So much so that researchers are now talking about a "^sixth extinction crisis." Need we remind you that the previous crisis saw the disappearance of the dinosaurs...

What is causing this depletion of life on our planet? "There are four major causes responsible for this loss of biodiversity," explains Vincent Devictor. Habitat destruction caused in particular by urbanization, deforestation, and intensive agriculture; overexploitation of resources; pollution; and invasive species."Not to mention climate change, which is accelerating these existing threats,"adds the ecologist. And when a species disappears, it doesn't go alone. "The other species that fed on it are also affected. We call this phenomenon a cascade of extinction," explains Vincent Devictor.

Whistleblowers

While the scientific community and public opinion are now concerned about this exponential loss of biodiversity, this awareness is not new. Since the 1970s, we have known that nature is profoundly affected by human activities."This was the era of the first maps showing the decline of the rainforest," points out Vincent Devictor. "It was also a profound turning point in the aftermath of World War II, when humans became aware of their capacity for destruction. The advent of nuclear power was accompanied by a re-evaluation of the race for technological advancement."

This "environmentalist decade" from 1970 to 1980 saw the emergence of the first whistleblowers, long before the term was coined in the 1990s. "They found a favorable response in public opinion, and we witnessed a profound reflection on the ways in which nature was being exploited. The first measures to restrict the exploitation of species were introduced. It was already clear that our mode of development was incompatible with the maintenance of biological diversity ," explains the ecologist. So why, more than half a century later, does the situation seem little improved? "Whistleblowers were quickly confronted with a dominant ideology, and the advent of the environmental movement was accompanied by a counter-movement that has brought us to where we are today," replies Vincent Devictor.

Consensus dictatorship

So what response has been given to the ecological crisis? As early as 1987 (Brundtland report), people began talking about "sustainable development." "This concept became an economic, scientific, and social leitmotif, marking an ideological tour de force that would profoundly affect biodiversity policy ," explains Vincent Devictor. For the ecologist, the phrase, which combines two contradictory terms, is meaningless. "Its use has prevented any ambitious reform; it is an instrumentalist logic designed to avoid responding to the ecological crisis."

While the situation 30 years later is considered worrying, the researcher believes there are also reasons to be enthusiastic. "There is good news! The use of a number of pollutants, such as ozone, has fallen dramatically. We are also seeing that the protection policies put in place are having positive effects, with species such as wolves, genets, otters, beavers and gray herons returning." Studies conducted on birds also show that communities are adapting better to climate change in protected areas. "In environments where human activity is declining, we are seeing the spontaneous return of certain forms of life; nature is overflowing our quest for control and domination , " notes Vincent Devictor.

Because the issue of the ecological crisis is above all a question of humanity's relationship with nature. " We are in an era of human domination over the planet," observes Vincent Devictor. But in all this, there are many people who spend their time observing nature, trying to protect it, respect it, and understand it better," enthuses the ecologist, who campaigns for environmental ethics. "It is now essential to think about the conditions for sustaining life on Earth."

Keywords: Biodiversity, Ecology, LUM#8, LUM Magazine, Research