Written by Meryem Kar
Edited by Emil Koch
What is this environmental degradation? Why are so many people sensitive to environmental degradation? Environmental degradation is "the reduction of the environment's capacity to meet social and ecological objectives and needs," in the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster. It is the pollution-depletion of water, soil, and air resources and the destruction of ecosystems and wildlife. Even more, environmental degradation is one of the ten threats officially cautioned by the United Nations.
When we look at the causes of environmental degradation, we see human actions. Technological developments, overpopulation, and destruction are among the biggest causes.
The atmosphere that provides us with living space is made up of gasses. These gases keep the heat from the sun and prevent the oceans and seas from freezing. These gases are greenhouse gases, and the way they warm the world is called the greenhouse effect.
The industrial revolution at the end of the 18th century and the technology that continued to develop caused an excessive accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Excessive accumulation of greenhouse gasses means excessive accumulation of heat in the atmosphere. Therefore, the atmosphere continued to warm unhindered day by day and caused global warming. The warming atmosphere has caused severe environmental degradation, such as falling groundwater levels.
At the same time, humans destroyed forests of their own will and destroyed the ecological balance by ending wildlife. Wastes were left to nature, and the resources were polluted. Overpopulation also contributes to environmental degradation.
Although humans are the biggest cause of environmental degradation, some natural events also contribute to it. Things like landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes are the causes of unstable ecosystems.
Environmental degradation has many effects in many areas.
Impact on human health:
Air and water pollution caused by environmental degradation causes many health problems. Also, the environment consists of various hazards like radiation, viruses, and caustic substances.
-Short-term temporary diseases (pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.)
-Long-term permanent diseases (heart disease, lung cancer, etc.)
-Long-term damage to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs.
Scarcity of Resources:
Our resources are polluted and depleted due to environmental degradation. In the near future, we will have difficulty reaching resources such as water. Therefore, resources must be used sustainably.
Loss of biodiversity:
The earth is facing an accelerating extinction rate, primarily from human intervention; population growth, pollution, and research and development affect biodiversity significantly.
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