[LUM#8] Nature in crisis
25 years ago, researchers were expressing concern that "humanity is pushing ecosystems beyond their capacity to support the web of life". This concern is more relevant than ever, as the biodiversity crisis remains one of the key challenges facing our societies.

" We are jeopardizing our future ". This is the cry of alarm 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, the researchers denounce, among other things, a "mass extinction phenomenon at the end of which many life forms could disappear altogether, or at any rate be 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 are disappearing every day? " It's impossible to give a precise answer to this question, but one thing is certain: the rate and amplitude of species extinction today is higher than at any time in the past, " explains the ecologist from Montpellier's Institut des sciences de l'évolution. So much so that researchers are currently talking about a "6th extinction crisis". The previous crisis saw the disappearance of the dinosaurs...
What is impoverishing life on our planet? " We know of four major causes of biodiversity loss," explains Vincent Devictor. Habitat destruction caused in particular by urbanization, deforestation or 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 it alone. " The other species that feed on it are affected in turn, and this phenomenon is known as an extinction cascade," explains Vincent Devictor.
Alert systems
Although the scientific community and public opinion are now concerned about the exponential loss of biodiversity, this awareness is not new. As early as the 1970s, we knew that nature was profoundly affected by human activities. This was the time of the first maps showing the retreat of the tropical forest," Vincent Devictor points out. It was also a profound turning point in the aftermath of the Second World War, when man became aware of his capacity to destroy. The advent of nuclear power was accompanied by a reconsideration of the race for technology .
This "environmentalist decade" from 1970 to 1980 saw the emergence of the first whistle-blowers, well before the term was coined in the 1990s. " They found a favorable echo in public opinion, and we witnessed a profound reflection on the ways in which nature was 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, over half a century later, doesn't the situation look much better? " Whistle-blowers were quickly confronted by a dominant ideology, and the advent of this ecological movement was accompanied by a counter-movement that brought us to where we are today ", answers Vincent Devictor.
Dictatorship of consensus
What was the response to the ecological crisis? As early as 1987(Brundtland Report), we began talking about "sustainable development". " This notion became an economic, scientific and social leitmotiv, consecrating an ideological tour de force that profoundly affected biodiversity policy ," explains Vincent Devictor. For the ecologist, the formula, which brings together two antinomic terms, is devoid of meaning. " Its use has prevented any ambitious reform; it's an instrumentalist rationale for not responding to the ecological crisis ".
While the state of play 30 years on is considered worrying, there are also reasons to be enthusiastic, according to the researcher. " There is some good news! The use of a number of pollutants, such as ozone, has fallen drastically. We can also see that the protection policies we've put in place are having a positive effect, with species such as the wolf, the genet, the otter, the beaver and the grey heron all making a comeback. Studies carried out on birds also show that communities adjust better to climate change in protected areas. " In environments where the influence of human activity is receding, we are witnessing the spontaneous return of certain forms of life, as nature overflows our quest for control and domination ," notes Vincent Devictor.
The ecological crisis is first and foremost a question of man's relationship with nature. We're in the era of man's domination of the planet," says Vincent Devictor. But in all this, there are many people who spend their time looking at nature, trying to protect it, respect it and get to know it better ", enthuses the ecologist who campaigns for an environmental ethic. " It is now essential to think about the conditions for maintaining life on Earth".
To find out more :
- Vincent Devictor: The philosophical ecologist, 2015
- A l'UM la science podcast: From bird decline to yeast, 2023
- Birds, collateral victims of the intensification of agricultural practices in Europe, 2024, The Conversation
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