We are also in the middle of the worst extinction crisis in the planet’s history. In 2019 we found out that 1 million of the 8 million animal and plant species on Earth were threatened with extinction, mainly because of human actions – and now many of those species are gone forever (IPBES 2019). Demand for more food has led to over 400 million hectares of natural land, like forests and savannahs, being cleared (an area greater than India). The loss of forests and savannahs has significantly decreased the habitats of animals and plants. These areas were home to many species that are now lost.
The numbers are staggering, but we knew of these problems in 2020 and failed to act. The lack of action turned out to be a tremendous mistake for humanity, especially now with our unstable global food production systems. Who else besides insects would be able to pollinate our fruits, vegetables and flower fields? This is not a myth anymore. The forest behind my parents’ home is smaller and more barren than it was in my childhood. Here and elsewhere around the planet, nature is much quieter than it was before.
