Futurists sent a threatening message to humanity about the devastating processes that have begun: life will soon change radically

Based on various scientific articles and research, the new book “The future is faster than you think” published by Eugrimas predicts how we will live in the near future, in a decade and what challenges we will face in conserving nature.

Excerpt from the book “The future is faster than you think”

The combination of climate change, deforestation, pollution, overfishing and other similar factors has led to a huge biodiversity crisis. According to the UN, two hundred species are disappearing on a bad day. Forty percent of all insect species are at risk. Extinction threatens our closest relatives: chimpanzees and other primates. If trends do not change, 50 percent of all large mammals will disappear by the end of the century. The situation in the ocean could be even worse, with three-quarters of all coral reefs already threatened.

These reefs are home to 25 percent of the world’s biodiversity and contribute to the livelihoods of 500 million people. people and emit 70%. Atmospheric oxygen. And if nothing changes, by 2050. 90 percent. these reefs will disappear. The picture is not much better in the rest of the ocean. By 2100, 50 percent will be gone. all marine life.

Biodiversity is the basis for the health of our ecosystem and adequate ecosystem services, that is, what the planet does for us and what we cannot do for ourselves. These include oxygen sequestration, food, wood, pollination, flood protection, and climate stabilization, for a total of thirty-six ecosystem services. Due to the loss of biodiversity by 60%. these services have deteriorated alarmingly and become unsustainable in the long term. So how can we protect biodiversity and preserve ecosystem services? There is no simple solution, but we would like to present five steps that can help change the situation.

Reforestation using unmanned aerial vehicles. On land, forests are biodiversity “hotspots”, so deforestation is one of the most important factors in biodiversity loss. And the deforestation rate is very high. Land loses $ 18.7 million a year. acres of forest – an area the size of Panama. In addition, trees absorb most of the carbon dioxide, so deforestation accounts for 15%. Total annual greenhouse gas emissions. How to combat deforestation on an industrial scale?

Reforestation on an industrial scale. Introducing BioCarbon Engineering, a British company founded by former NASA employees to develop artificial intelligence-operated manned aircraft. These planes first map the area and identify key planting sites and then fire them with specially treated seeds placed in biodegradable ammunition.

The seeds themselves are embedded in a specially designed gelatin growing medium that acts as a shock absorber to cushion the impact and then as a source of nutrients to accelerate growth. A pilot can control six drones at a time and plant up to 100,000 trees a day (a staggering number). The global army of drones that BioCarbon aims to create could replant one billion trees a year.

Reproduction of coral reefs. Coral reefs are ocean forests, so we must restore them to preserve the health of the ocean. Around fifty coral regeneration technologies are currently being developed, and one of the most interesting solutions is offered by a marine biologist from the Mote Tropical Research Laboratory, Dr. David Vaughan. Using tissue engineering techniques, Vaughan devised a way to regenerate a hundred years of coral in two years. Although conventional corals do not reproduce until they are mature, which can take 25 to 100 years, modified Vaughan corals reproduce in just two years, so for the first time we have the opportunity to restore reefs on a large scale.

Aquaculture restoration. Fishing is one of the most important factors in the extinction of ocean wildlife. Currently, one third of all world fisheries are too intensive. While better fisheries management is very important, who to manage if you can farm. The same tissue engineering techniques that allow the cultivation of meat cells from stem cells can help to grow large coriander, bluefin tuna, etc. In fact, this is exactly what six companies are currently trying to do, and they want to add many new dishes to our menu, from ‘artificial’ salmon to farmed shrimp.

Agrarian restructuring. Plants and animals need room to grow and roam – vast areas of land and water untouched by humans. Currently, up to 15 percent. The land is a protected natural space. Harvard University researcher EO Wilson and other experts believe that it will take half the planet to prevent what is now called the “sixth great extinction.” But here the fundamental question arises: where to find so much land?

The answer is simple: combine reforestation with agricultural restructuring. About 37% is used for agriculture. of the earth of the entire planet and about 75 percent. freshwater resources: 11 percent. – for agricultural production and the rest for livestock and dairy production. However, these numbers are declining.

The decline is not just due to the fact that many farmers are abandoning their land; the following innovations are also contributing: artificially grown meat, vertical farming, genetically modified crops, which allow much higher yields in much smaller areas. So the idea is simple: let’s return this obsolete land to nature.

The circular economy. Pollution is one of the top five threats today. Lancet Medical Journal 2017 According to a 2006 study, pollution kills 9 million people a year, at a cost of $ 5 billion. USD The impact on nature may be even worse.

Clearly, greenhouse gas emissions pose the greatest threat, but our planet is also suffocated by chemicals that pollute rivers, plastics in the oceans, and particles in the air. So what can you do? Switching from oil to renewable energy will probably help, but it won’t be enough.

Perhaps the most effective solution would be zero-waste production, where companies completely remove waste from the production process rather than transport it to landfills. The list of companies on this path is growing: Toyota, Google, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and others. Plus, it’s not only good for the environment, it’s cost-effective too. General Motors recently reported savings of $ 1 billion in recent years using 152 waste-free facilities.