TheLostGlobe

The journal Science has published an report on the domestication of the planet. It was reported that as of 1995 only 17% of the world land area was still “truly wild” ie; no human populations, crops, road access or night-time light detectable by satellite. The Discovery Channel’s article on the report described some disturbing details.

• Half of the world’s surface area is used for crops or grazing.
• More than half of the world’s forests have been lost to land conversion.
• The largest land animals on several continents have become or are near extinction.
• In Europe 22,000 kilometers of coastline have been paved.

The 17% number is debatable, the researchers included many national parks in their domesticated areas as they consider them to be managed in a similar way farms are, although they may be wild it is because it has been decided that they will be. Regardless of definitions the report shows that humans do truly have a massive impact on the planet. It poses more questions on the problem of over population and hopefully will mean governments will make it more of an issue.

So why does China insist on constructing a road to Mt Everest? The only good I see coming from this is that some of the mess climbers have left behind will be cleaned up. What will it take for the worlds governments to look beyond the benefits of China’s booming economy and take a look at the ecological impact? Can anyone be blamed for a lack of confidence in the Chinese government with it’s track record? Tibet, the Internet Firewall, Human rights, Pollution, etc. Of course we have our own problems but few seem to acknowledge just how big the China problem will be. Now when individual governments are tentatively taking steps the conserve the environment we really need a plan for stewardship that goes beyond political borders.

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