Locations
Photo: Markus Spiske
Our planet is sick and we should not underestimate the seriousness of the situation.
The polar caps are melting and the sea level is rising. The oceans are becoming more acidic, and the rains are increasingly erratic and unpredictable in places where ecosystems depend on them for survival. There is scientific evidence that our planet is getting very hot very fast. The global average temperature has risen almost 1 ºC since 1880; the last four years have been the hottest ever recorded, and if we continue at this pace, in 2100 there could be a warming of more than 4 ºC. That will have terrifying consequences for all living beings and ecosystems:
Biodiversity
The habitats of thousands of microorganisms will disappear and this will affect the entire food chain.The oceans will lose most of the life they now host and it will be increasingly difficult to find edible fish.
Food safety
The melting of glaciers is already reducing fresh water supplies in many areas of the planet. This impacts crops, livestock and therefore the price and availability of food on land throughout the world.
Health
Old viruses, asleep under the ice, are waking up. Digestive system diseases (cholera, dysentery, etc.) are increasing due to the decrease in water quality. There are more and more cases of respiratory diseases (asthma, COPD, etc.) due to the decrease in air quality.
Economy
Coastal cities in many parts of the world are already spending millions of dollars to adapt to constant floods. The Caribbean region is especially vulnerable in this regard.
In the era of the climate crisis, natural disasters have become more frequent and devastating. Around the world, tsunamis, hurricanes and typhoons are becoming more frequent and violent. Last month, Hurricane Dorian caused an unprecedented level of destruction in our region.
It’s impossible not to be horrified by the level of destruction caused by #HurricaneDorian in the Bahamas.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 15, 2019
In the era of the climate crisis, natural disasters have become more frequent and devastating.
It’s time to change course and implement strong #ClimateAction now. pic.twitter.com/P1Cx5JygDS
As Mr. António Guterres said,
“Natural disasters are not powered by the devil. They are powered by climate change; they are powered by human action”.
The most encouraging part is that the solution also depends on human action. And we humans are capable of doing incredible things when we work together.
Never in the history of mankind have we needed so many natural resources. The world population is expected to reach 10,000 million people by 2050. If we want there to be enough food for everyone in the long term, we have to do things differently. There are no new lands we can use for agriculture; intensive crop farming has turned out to be destructive; natural resources have been degraded and overexploited; and climate change is causing terrible effects on harvests, especially in developing countries like Suriname.
Under demographic pressure in Latin American and in the Caribbean region, numerous forests have been converted into farmland, causing very serious ecological problems that can cause catastrophic consequences for the next generations.
Forests, which are ecosystems primarily comprised of trees, are essential for life. They decrease air pollution and reduce global warming. When respected, forests guarantee an important sustainable source of food, water, energy and income. Currently, forests occupy 30.6% of the planet's land surface (93% of Suriname territory), house more than 75% of all biodiversity, and provide a source of food, medicine and fuel for more than 1.6 billion people.
To be able to feed the entire population in a sustainable way, we must completely change our way of production and consumption. The solution lies in climate smart agriculture, small producers and technology that help to manage our natural resources much more efficiently.
We have countless examples that prove what incredible things humans can do when they work together to solve problems. We are witnessing rapid progress in technology, which is improving the general well-being of many communities. Thanks to our cooperative efforts, infant mortality has declined; hunger and poverty have been reduced; and remarkable advances in medicine have been made.
We have the right tools to manage what’s left of our natural resources, in a way that guarantees food security for the entire planet, and paves the way for a brighter future for all the generations to come. It is important for everyone to be aware of how critical the situation is, in order for them to change it by working together. Policy makers must implement policies to make sure we use our resources responsibly. We must ensure that our methods of production and manner of consumption respect our planet’s natural cycles.
“Nature is angry. We need to show nature that we respect it.”
António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
What is UNDP doing in Suriname?
What can you do personally?
Consume local products.
Reduce meat consumption.
Avoid plastics (bags, straws, single-use bottles, plastic cutlery, etc.)
Walking or cycling to move around the city.
Be selective with the origin of the wood and metals we buy: Do they come from sustainable forests and sustainable mining?
Use social networks to spread the message and raise awareness about the situation.
Related SDGs