Ecosystems and Human Well-being

Summary of Selection 12

Ecosystems provide everything for us; food, water, disease management, climate regulation, spiritual and aesthetic fulfillment. 60 % of ecosystem services are being degraded or used unsustainably. There is established evidence that the changes we have made to the ecosystem are accelerating, abrupt, and/or irreversible. The harmful effects of this degredation are borne disproportionately by the poor of the world. The problem is growing worse and worse in every area. HUGE changes are required but are not currently underway. There is a long list of responses needed to manage and save ecosystems. For example, substantial changes in institutions and governance, economic policies and so on.

The structure and functioning of the world's ecosystems is changing more rapidly than any time in human history. The loss of biodiversity (irreversible changes), genetic diversity lost, number of species lost- has all been to meet the demands of the human race (for food, water, timber, fiber, fuel, ect.) Scenarios of "plausible futures" have been developed. They are Global Orchestration, Order from Strength, Adapting Mosaic and Techno Garden. Although it is very hard to accurately predict the future. (And there is no scenario for "doing practically nothing" which is what we are currently doing...) The United Nations has Millenium Development Goals to improve human well-being (such as reducing poverty). But this can't be done without improved management of ecosystems. For example, to solve world hunger issues of climate, soil degredation and water availability must be addressed.

Our past actions to help ecosystems have been effective but have not kept pace with the speed of degredation/demand. The degredation cannot be lowered unless these "drivers of change" change:
-population growth
-economic activity
-sociopolitical factors
-cultural factors
-technological change
There are many barriers to this problem...the outcome looks bleak...