Author: John Carlo Mandapat

Destructive cases of illegal mining across the world

In South America, the $2.4 billion illegal gold mining industry has been destroying the Amazon and costing dozens of lives. In Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia, illegal gold mining operations by private companies have devastated local communities. The operations have left behind pools of cyanide and mercury, twice the size of Olympic swimming pools. In just three months, the illegal mining activities damaged the ecosystem by killing the entire fish population of the Aguita River after water-pumping machines leaked toxins into the water.

According to Colombia’s National Planning Department, Colombia now ranks second in the world for mercury pollution. Local populations have reported health issues related to mercury poisoning such as tremors and memory loss. According to some sources, illegal mining companies often extorted the local populations by forcing them to search for gold by sending in armed groups to intimidate them. Other times, they tried to barter deals by promising to repair crippling infrastructure in the region, but instead, pillaged the region and left without keeping their word. South America isn’t the only region that has suffered from illegal mining.In Africa, the conflict diamond industry cost thousands of lives in the 1990’s and 2000’s. During that time, the illegal industry produced billions of dollars which were used to fund civil wars that decimated countries including Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia, Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Reference and Citation: Greentumble

(https://greentumble.com/the-dangerous-effects-of-illegal-mining/)

Mining can be defined as “the extraction of minerals and other geological materials from the earth.” Minerals and materials commonly targeted by mining include: base metals (e.g., copper, nickel), precious metals (e.g., gold, silver), iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock salt, and potash. The activity is deeply entwined with human history, with the oldest known mine dating back to over 40,000 years ago.

Mining is widely recognized as carrying significant risks of ecosystem destruction, environmental pollution, and worker injury, so “illegal mining” can be defined statutorily as violations of both specialized laws and regulations for mining, and more general laws and regulations that protect the environment and human welfare.  From a more biocentric or ecocentric philosophical perspective, even statutorily legal mining might be considered a crime as minerals and other geological materials are nonrenewable, their mining can seriously impact the environment, and many minerals and materials are not recycled, even though they often can be. However, for the rest of this primer, I’ll just consider ‘illegal mining’ from a statutory, rather than philosophical, perspective.

Reference and Citation:  Sustainably Enforced

Writer credits: Mark Gibson ( In-Focus:Illegal Mining Around the Globe)

(https://www.sustainablyenforced.org/news-and-analysis/globalillegalmining)

Adorning oneself with jewelry especially gold has been consistent across religions, cultures, class and gender. Unquestionably humans have a need for jewelry, but what precisely is this need?

Jewelry has served as a store of value to be converted to cash in times of need.Many individuals, institutions and countries across the world hold investments in gold bullion as financial backing.

Mining involves the activity, occupation and industry concerned with the extraction of minerals from the earth.

From electronic manufacturing companies to dental rooms gold and other precious metals are being used for various purposes. Gold has a positive impact on a nation’s GDP and it also create job opportunities for the community.In Ghana,the Mining industry accounts for 5% of the country’s GDP and minerals takes up 37% of the total export with gold accounting for 90% of the mineral export. Ghana is the second largest gold producer in Africa.

Notwithstanding the fact that the mining sector contributes to government revenue it also has serious negative impact on the environment and to miners.

The illegal mining sector in Ghana is plagued by several environmental and health problems. Several accidents have occurred and in some cases this has led to fatalities in the mines. In April 2013, at least 17 people were killed while mining illegally at a disused gold mine in Ghana’s central region. The ground caved in on the miners as they searched for gold deposits. Another serious impact is the health hazards as a result of pollution from gases, noise, dust and polluted water.

Coal mines release methane which can pollute the air.Sulphuric acid are utilized in the mining operations which drain into the water bodies, and adversely affect ground water. The movements of rock in the case of surface mining impact the land negatively. Craters are left in the areas where mining activities took place, destroying landscape and lush vegetation in the process. Deforestation is resulting in changes in the ecosystem which includes increasing the levels of Carbon Dioxide in the air.

Reference (External Link) (https://www.eoi.es/blogs/mavisasare/2014/01/14/illegal-mining-and-the-environment-%E2%80%93-ghana/)

Many of our needs come from factories and it also provides efficient and high quality products. But these factories also bring bad effects to the lives of the majority especially to our nature. In the passing years, where people brings changes in our society, the balance of our eco system is bonign and the living organisms in the environment start to extinct. Our ecological status is critically damaged because of the harmful effect of the human pending activities. We soar to have a good air to breathe, but it is still on the process of going back to the normal stage of having a conditioned atmosphere. In our current condition in our society, one of the significant environmental issue we face is the disadvantage of industrialization in our community.

With the coming of the Industrial Revolution, humans were able to advance further into the 21st century. Technology developed rapidly, science became advanced and the manufacturing age came into view. With all of these came one more effect, industrial pollution. Earlier, industries were small factories that produced smoke as the main pollutant. However, since the number of factories were limited and worked only a certain number of hours a day, the levels of pollution did not grow significantly. But when these factories became full-scale industries and manufacturing units, the issue of industrial pollution started to take on more importance.

            Any form of pollution that can trace its immediate source to industrial practices is known as industrial pollution. Most of the pollution on the planet can be traced back to industries of some kind. In fact, the issue of industrial pollution has taken on grave importance for agencies trying to fight against environmental degradation. Countries facing sudden and rapid growth such industries are finding it to be a serious problem which has to be brought under control immediately. Industrial pollution takes on many faces.

 It contaminates many sources of drinking water, releases unwanted toxins into the air and reduces the quality of soil all over the world. Major environmental disasters have been caused due to industrial mishaps, which have yet to be brought under control. Below are a few of the causes of industrial pollution that have resulted in environmental degradation.

The ecosystem has been significantly impacted because of pollution, and the consequence will affect many future generations. Big industries and manufacturing plants use significant amounts of water from nearby lakes, rivers, and oceans to operate. During the manufacturing process, the water is exposed to chemicals, heavy metals, organic sludge, and radioactive waste. That water is then dumped back into its original water source. Not only does this process affect the plants, animals, and insects in their habitat, farmers also use that water for irrigation, causing harmful effects to the food we eat. Water pollution has caused many different groundwater sources to be labeled as unsafe for people and animals alike. Once it is rendered dangerous, the only use for that water is for it to be reused in the plants that initially harmed it.

Industrial pollution continues to cause significant damage to the earth and all of its inhabitants. It disrupts natural habitats and rhythms, affecting wildlife and ecosystems. Animals are becoming extinct, and habitats are being destroyed. Pollution is the culprit for oil spills and radioactive material leaks, and both of those types of disasters take years to decades to clean up.

Reducing Industrial Pollution

As the harmful effects of industrial pollution increase, there are many agencies and individuals who are working to reduce carbon footprints and live and work eco-friendlier. Here are some of the different steps being taken to reduce and eliminate pollution:

• Development of better technology for waste disposal.
• Increased recycling efforts.
• Development of cooling rooms or bins that allow industries to recycle the water they need instead of pushing it back into the natural water source it came from.
• Adopting organic water and soil cleaning methods, like using microbes that feed off of metal and waste.
• Creating policies that prevent land misuse.

REFERENCE AND CITATION (External Link Included)

1. Conserve Energy Future (www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-effects-of-industrial-pollution.php)

2. Conservation Institute (www.conservationinstitute.org/industrial-pollution/)

Around the world, fishermen are using explosives, often with dynamite, to maximize their catch. Called blast fishing or dynamite fishing, the practice goes on in nations from Lebanon and Malaysia to the Philippines, while some countries—Kenya and Mozambique, for instance—have managed to stamp it out.

In Africa, Tanzania is the only country where blast fishing still occurs on a large scale—and it’s happening at unprecedented rates. “I would say probably for the last five years it’s at least as bad or worse than it’s ever been,” said Jason Rubens, a marine conservationist with World Wildlife Fund’s Tanzania branch.

In December, Wildlife Watch wrote about blast fishing after researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society released a report documenting the extent of the illegal practice in the Indian Ocean off Tanzania. The researchers counted more than 300 explosions in 30 days, from the Kenya-Tanzania border down to Mozambique. That’s at least 10 blasts a day.

Reference and Citation: National Geographic

(https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/blast-fishing-dynamite-fishing-tanzania/)

Dynamite fishing, otherwise known “blast fishing,” is illegal in many parts of the world, but despite government crackdowns, the practice is difficult for authorities to contain. Dynamite fishing is common across Southeast Asia’s Coral Triangle, and Tanzania has seen a resurgence of the practice as mining activity in the country has made dynamite more readily available.

Blast fishing isn’t a new technique. It was introduced to many countries by European armies. During World War I, it was common for soldiers to use grenades catch a quick meal.

Dynamite fishing shatters fragile coral colonies. Even the smallest piece of dynamite can blast a crater two to three feet in diameter. The blast kills coral tissues, and the surrounding rubble prevents adjacent coral colonies from recovery. If the shallow part of the reef is decimated by repeated blasts, it’s impossible for the reef to recover. Many bomb fishermen don’t understand that once the reefs are gone, the fish will go too. It’s estimated that over 55 percent of the world’s reefs are threatened by overfishing and/or destructive fishing.

Reference and Citation: Aquaviews

(https://www.leisurepro.com/blog/ocean-news/effects-dynamite-fishing-coral-reefs/)

Impact on Animal Life

TRCC indicates that animals other than fish, including sea turtles, can be affected by the explosions from blast fishing. To make matters worse, the AWI says that the explosives used in blast fishing are often made with fertilizers and kerosene, which can act as environmental pollutants when they are introduced into marine environments. Endangered species will be affected in more ways than one by blast fishing, and more and more species will become endangered as a result.

Long Term Business Effects

Sievert indicates that in the long run, blast fishing damages fish yields by damaging the marine ecosystems that sustain those yields in the first place. Fishers that rely on blast fishing may be making a profit in the short-term, but they are ultimately disrupting their long-term business interests. However, Sievert alludes to the difficulty of convincing certain blast fishers that their fishing methods are ultimately untenable, which is one of the challenges involved with ending blast fishing for good.

Blast Fishing in the Future

The negative consequences of blast fishing are increasingly well-documented, which may or may not make a difference. The legal, economic, and political circumstances involving blast fishing will not last forever, but it is possible that blast fishing and the associated problems will persist for years to come.

Reference and Citation: Love to Know

(https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/environmental-issues/what-is-blast-fishing)

According to the initial findings of a survey of Philippine coral reefs conducted from 2015 to 2017 and published in the Philippine Journal of Science, there are no longer any reefs in excellent condition, and 90 percent were classified as either poor or fair. A 2017 report by the United Nations predicts that all 29 World Heritage coral reefs, including one in the Philippines, will die by 2100 unless carbon emissions are drastically reduced. “It is a bit dismal,” said Porfirio Alino, a research professor specializing in corals at the Marine Science Institute at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.

The effects of climate change — warming waters and acidification that cause coral bleaching and push some reefs to death — are difficult to address. But if the stresses caused by human activity can be stopped, Dr. Alino explained, coral reefs have a better chance of surviving.

In 2014, the European Union issued a yellow card to the Philippines warning that it would be banned from exporting to the bloc unless its fishing activities were better regulated. In response, the Philippines produced a new fisheries code that called for stricter measures against illegal methods and commercial overfishing. In 2015, the yellow card was lifted.

“Our law is harsh, painful and swift,” said Eduardo Gongona, director of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. “We have no pity on illegal fishers and illegal fishing.” Gloria Ramos, vice president of Oceana Philippines, a nongovernmental organization for ocean conservation, agreed that the new laws were strong but said they were not being properly implemented because of the influence the commercial fishing industry has over government officials. Despite signs that Philippine fisheries are collapsing, Ms. Ramos said, “there is no sense of urgency.”

Reference and Citation: The New York Times

(https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/15/world/asia/philippines-dynamite-fishing-coral.html)

Marine scientists know when widespread overfishing of the seas began. And they have a pretty good idea when, if left unaddressed, it will end.

In the mid-20th century, international efforts to increase the availability and affordability of protein-rich foods led to concerted government efforts to increase fishing capacity. Favorable policies, loans, and subsidies spawned a rapid rise of big industrial fishing operations, which quickly supplanted local boatmen as the world’s source of seafood.

These large, profit-seeking commercial fleets were extremely aggressive, scouring the world’s oceans and developing ever more sophisticated methods and technologies for finding, extracting, and processing their target species. Consumers soon grew accustomed to having access to a wide selection of fish species at affordable prices.

But by 1989, when about 90 million tons (metric tons) of catch were taken from the ocean, the industry had hit its high-water mark, and yields have declined or stagnated ever since. Fisheries for the most sought-after species, like orange roughy, Chilean sea bass, and bluefin tuna have collapsed. In 2003, a scientific report estimated that industrial fishing had reduced the number of large ocean fish to just 10 percent of their pre-industrial population.

Reference and Citation: National Geographic

(https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/oceans/critical-issues-overfishing/)

overfishing occurs when we take too many fish from an area, and the remaining fish are unable to reproduce and replenish their populations to a healthy level.

The devastating collapse of the once iconic Northern Atlantic cod fishery in the early 1990s remains one of the most globally recognized cases of overfishing. Today, cod populations remain at low levels, with only a few populations showing signs of slow recovery.

Typically, fish species that are large and have long life spans are more vulnerable to overfishing than smaller fish with shorter life spans. Age of reproduction also plays a role.

For example, catching a species that reaches sexual maturity at an older age before it reproduces (e.g. B.C. rockfish may be 15 to 20 years old before they reproduce) has a twofold negative effect on the population–removing the individual fish, and all the potential offspring it could have had. Species that produce large numbers of offspring are also potentially less vulnerable than those that have just a few per year (e.g. porbeagle sharks, a bycatch species in Canadian fisheries, typically have just four pupsper year).

Reference and Citation: Sea Choice Organization

(https://www.seachoice.org/info-centre/fisheries/overfishing/)

According to the United Nations, over 70 percent of the world’s fisheries are either ‘fully exploited’, ‘over exploited’ or significantly depleted’. Some species have already been fished to commercial extinction, and more are on the verge of extinction. Regulation of fishing vessels is universally inadequate. More often than not, the fishing industry is given access to fish stocks before the longer term impact of their fishing practices is understood.

Overfishing is causing profound changes in our oceans, perhaps changing them forever. Over 90 per cent of large predatory fish, such as cod and tuna, have already been caught. Fishermen have responded by changing to new target species, often renaming them to make them sound more appealing to consumers. Hence the Patagonian Toothfish was reinvented as Chilean Seabass, while the wonderfully named Slimehead metamorphosed into the Orange Roughy. But as the larger species get fished out, fishermen are increasingly forced to look further down the food chain.

Overfishing doesn’t only threaten the fish species we target for food. Other species – such as marine mammals and seabirds – are caught incidentally in fishing gear and killed. This is known in the trade by the innocuous sounding word ‘bycatch‘.

Reference and Citation: Green Peace

(https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/what-we-do/oceans/overfishing/)

Our world is facing a crisis, when it comes to a liveable climate. There are changes in the flow and cycle of life in the world where we live, and it also has an effect on the living organisms , surrounding it. People are  bombarded by the questions “why is the weather is getting worse?”, “why the glaciers from the south is gradually melting?”, and why Catastrophies damaged homes and other imfrastrastractures vastly?”.  Our current situation in commiting an environmental issues is weak, you totally don’t need any explanations and other portrations on it how would strive us people, simply reflect on what you see on your environment. Do you see changes?, do you see innovations yet?, you as an independent citizen is also working to save our nature in the name of the climate?. Then why you don’t take any actions to save the nature, why you don’t make any changes to sustain a liveable environment

 Scientists stated that having a high confidence global temperature will continue to rise for decades to come, largely due to greenhouse gases produced by human activities. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which includes more than 1,300 scientists from the United States and other countries, forecasts a temperature rise of 2.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century. According to the IPCC, the extent of climate change effects on individual regions will vary over time and with the ability of different societal and environmental systems to mitigate or adapt to change. The IPCC predicts that increases in global mean temperature of less than 1.8 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit (1 to 3 degrees Celsius) above 1990 levels will produce beneficial impacts in some regions and harmful ones in others. Net annual costs will increase over time as global temperatures increase. “Taken as a whole,” the IPCC states, “the range of published evidence indicates that the net damage costs of climate change are likely to be significant and to increase over time.”

Droughts in the Southwest and heat waves (periods of abnormally hot weather lasting days to weeks) everywhere are projected to become more intense, and cold waves less intense everywhere. Summer temperatures are projected to continue rising, and a reduction of soil moisture, which exacerbates heat waves, is projected for much of the western and central U.S. in summer. By the end of this century, what have been once-in-20-year extreme heat days (one-day events) are projected to occur every two or three years over most of the nation.

If we do not make solutions and give recommendations, there is no even a change. Many studies have been done, there are many ways to minimize it, but it does not work much instead it is beneficial to other sectors. Can you call it innovation? if no changes occur. The global temparature is rising upon a year, can you sustain a liveable environment? Can you sustain a liveable climate?. Let us grow as a community let’s make a change for the sake of the environment, we can make a change if we have a discipline. Let us start to make a change.

References and citations

1. IPCC 2007, Summary for Policymakers, in Climate Change 2007: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, p. 17.
2. IPCC, 2013: Summary for Policymakers. In: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change[Stocker, T.F., D. Qin, G.-K. Plattner, M. Tignor, S.K. Allen, J. Boschung, A. Nauels, Y. Xia, V. Bex and P.M. Midgley (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA.
3. USGCRP 2014, Third Climate Assessment.
4. USGCRP 2017, Fourth Climate Assessment.

Coral bleaching occurs through the loss of the symbiotic algae found in living coral tissue. These zooxanthellae are responsible for giving healthy coral a brownish or greenish coloration. When these algae are lost, the white coloration of the underlying skeleton is visible through the translucent coral tissue. Partial bleaching may occur, resulting in only partial loss of zooxanthellae from the colony, as well as total bleaching when the entire coral colony appears bleach white.

This coral disease was first reported in the late 1800’s, however since 1980 extensive outbreaks affecting numerous species have been documented. The affects of bleaching vary greatly among species of corals as well as between individuals within the same species. Bleaching is believed to be a response to stressful environmental conditions. It is attributed to increases in ultraviolet radiation, extreme temperatures and salinities, and high levels of turbidity and sedimentation. Loss of zooxanthellae affects growth rates and overall health of the coral host.

Reference and Citation: Florida Museum (https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/southflorida/habitats/corals/diseases/)

Most corals have a narrow temperature tolerance. Coral bleaching occurs when corals become stressed, most often when ocean water gets too warm. Corals will “eject” the symbiotic algae (called zooxanthellae) that live inside them. When corals lose their algae, they not only lose their color (turning white) but also their built-in food source. Scientists have declared three global coral bleaching events: 1998, 2010 and 2014-2017. This most recent event was the longest and most widespread bleaching event ever recorded, killing as much as two-thirds of the corals in the northern part of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Although corals can survive a bleaching event, they will eventually die if they are under repeated stress. Outbreaks of coral disease typically follow bleaching events since stressed corals are more susceptible to infection. A recent special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that with an additional half-degree of warming above today’s levels, tropical coral reefs will face “very frequent mass mortalities,” although coral adaptation is possible. If temperatures rise an additional degree to 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels, coral reefs are in danger of vanishing entirely.

Reference and Citation: Coral Reef Alliance                                                                           (https://coral.org/coral-reefs-101/reef-threats/global/)

Warmer water temperatures can result in coral bleaching. When water is too warm, corals will expel the algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. This is called coral bleaching. When a coral bleaches, it is not dead. Corals can survive a bleaching event, but they are under more stress and are subject to mortality.

In 2005, the U.S. lost half of its coral reefs in the Caribbean in one year due to a massive bleaching event. The warm waters centered around the northern Antilles near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico expanded southward. Comparison of satellite data from the previous 20 years confirmed that thermal stress from the 2005 event was greater than the previous 20 years combined.

Not all bleaching events are due to warm water.

In January 2010, cold water temperatures in the Florida Keys caused a coral bleaching event that resulted in some coral death. Water temperatures dropped 12.06 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the typical temperatures observed at this time of year. Researchers will evaluate if this cold-stress event will make corals more susceptible to disease in the same way that warmer waters impact corals.

Reference and Citation:                                                                                           National Ocean Service  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  Department of Commerce

(https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html)

The marine environment supplies many ecosystems that support biodiversity in coastal and open ocean habitats. Marine ecosystems provide many resources that are beneficial to society and a significant proportion of the world’s population depends intimately on the oceans and coasts for survival and well-being. The pressure on marine ecosystems and the resources they provide is increasing as threats introduced by land-use change, overfishing, climate change, the invasion of non-native species and other impacts of anthropogenic activities affect biodiversity. As environmental conditions change, species need to evolve and adapt to these changing conditions. Healthy marine ecosystems are important for society since they provide services including food security, feed for livestock , raw materials for medicines, building materials from coral rock and sand, and natural defenses against hazards such as coastal erosion and inundation.

Ocean observations that monitor biodiversity and measure species distribution and density in marine ecosystems enable policy makers to respond to, protect and manage ecosystems that are under threat. Marine ecosystems are integrally linked to global climate and monitoring and studying these ecosystems allows scientists to better predict the impact of climate change on biodiversity and human populations.

Marine Biodiversity is a peer-reviewed international journal devoted to all aspects of biodiversity research on marine ecosystems. The journal is a relaunch of the well-known “Senckenbergiana maritima” and covers research at gene, species and ecosystem level that focuses on describing the actors (genes and species), the patterns (gradients and distributions) and understanding of the processes responsible for the regulation and maintenance of diversity in marine systems. Also included are the study of species interactions (symbioses, parasitism, etc.) and the role of species in structuring marine ecosystem functioning.

Biodiversity can be defined in several ways, but it generally refers to the number of species types in a particular ecosystem. Marine biodiversity therefore refers to the species richness and abundance in the world’s oceans and seas. And since the world is covered with approximately 70% water, the amount of life in the oceans is enormous.

Marine biodiversity is important to protect because today, just as always, humans are dependent on the Earth’s resources for their livelihood, health and well being In Belize, efforts have been made to conserve the incredible biodiversity that exists in the country. In addition to seasonal closures and catch limits on some fishery products, many national parks and marine reserves have been established in an effort to protect these natural areas. Having diverse ecosystems makes organisms and systems more resilient to changes. Ecosystems that are more resistant are able to then continue to provide the following benefits:

• Protection of water resources (e.g. Mangrove forests trap silt)
• Nutrient Storage and Cycling
• Pollution Breakdown and Absorption
• Contributes to Climactic Stability
• Recovery from unpredictable events (e.g. hurricanes)
• Food
• Medicinal Resources
• Recreation

Major threats to marine and coastal ecosystems include coastal development, global climate change, invasive species, overfishing and pollution. There is growing concern that a large number of marine species may be under threat of extinction due to the convergence of these threats. Overfishing is considered to be the greatest threat to marine wildlife and habitats. Corals are a necessary habitat for large numbers of species of fish and invertebrates that utilize the various ecosystems in the ocean. Over 27% of corals, however, have been listed as threatened in the most recent assessment of the world’s marine species in the IUCN Red List. In the same study, 25% of marine mammal species were found to be threatened. Marine mammals include cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and whales), manatees, pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses), polar bears and sea otters. Major threats to these species include boat strikes, entanglements in fishing gear, and environmental pollution. And over 27% of the world’s seabirds are threatened by factors that include death in long-line fisheries and gill-nets, invasive species, and oil spills.

Reference and Citation ( External Link Included)

1. Blue Planet, Oceans and Society, a CEO initiative (https://geoblueplanet.org/biodiversity-ecosystems/)

2.  Casado Internet Group, Belize          (https://ambergriscaye.com/reefbriefs/briefs77.html)

3.Springer Link                                                      (https://link.springer.com/journal/12526)

4.U.S Department of State                        (https://www.state.gov/e/oes/ocns/opa/biodiversity/)

One of the main cause of deforestation is agriculture (poorly planned infrastructure is emerging as a big threat too) and the main cause of forest degradation is illegal logging. We’re losing 18.7 million acres of forests annually, equivalent to 27 soccer fields every minute.

Deforestation is a particular concern in tropical rain forests because these forests are home to much of the world’s biodiversity. In the Amazon around 17% of the forest has been lost in the last 50 years, mostly due to forest conversion for cattle ranching. Deforestation in this region is particularly rampant near more populated areas, roads and rivers, but even remote areas have been encroached upon when valuable mahogany, gold, and oil are discovered.

Farming, grazing of livestock, mining, and drilling combined account for more than half of all deforestation. Forestry practices, wildfires and, in small part, urbanization account for the rest. In Malaysia and Indonesia, forests are cut down to make way for producing palm oil, which can be found in everything from shampoo to saltines. In the Amazon, cattle ranching and farms particularly soy plantations are key culprits.

Logging operations, which provide the world’s wood and paper products, also fell countless trees each year. Loggers, some of them acting illegally, also build roads to access more and more remote forests which leads to further deforestation. Forests are also cut as a result of growing urban sprawl as land is developed for homes.

Not all deforestation is intentional. Some is caused by a combination of human and natural factors like wildfires and overgrazing, which may prevent the growth of young trees.

Deforestation is considered to be one of the contributing factors to global climate change. According to Michael Daley, an associate professor of environmental science at Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts, the No. 1 problem caused by deforestation is the impact on the global carbon cycle. Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation are called greenhouse gases. If greenhouse gases are in large enough quantity, they can force climate change, according to Daley. While oxygen (O₂) is the second most abundant gas in our atmosphere, it does not absorb thermal infrared radiation, as greenhouse gases do. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most prevalent greenhouse gas. CO₂ accounts for about 82.2 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Trees can help, though. About 300 billion tons of carbon, 40 times the annual greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, is stored in trees, according to Greenpeace.

The deforestation of trees not only lessens the amount of carbon stored, it also releases carbon dioxide into the air. This is because when trees die, they release the stored carbon. According to the 2010 Global Forest Resources Assessment, deforestation releases nearly a billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere per year, though the numbers are not as high as the ones recorded in the previous decade. Deforestation is the second largest anthropogenic (human-caused) source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere (after fossil fuel combustion), ranging between 6 percent and 17 percent, according to a study published in 2009 in Nature.

Carbon isn’t the only greenhouse gas that is affected by deforestation. Water vapor is also considered a greenhouse gas. “The impact of deforestation on the exchange of water vapor and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the terrestrial land surface is the biggest concern with regard to the climate system,” said Daley. Changes in their atmospheric concentration will have a direct effect on climate. 

Deforestation has decreased global vapor flows from land by 4 percent, according to an article published by the journal National Academy of Sciences. Even this slight change in vapor flows can disrupt natural weather patterns and change current climate models. 

Reference and Citation ( External Link Included)

1. World Wildlife Organization (www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation)

2. National Geographic (www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation/)

3.  Live Science (www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html)

Soil pollution occurs when the presence of toxic chemicals, pollutants or contaminants in the soil is in high enough concentrations to be of risk to plants, wildlife, humans and of course, the soil itself. Arable land is turning to desert and becoming non-arable at ever-increasing rates, due largely in part to global warming and agricultural fertilizers and pesticides, lessening the hope that we can feed our booming population. Within 40 years, there will be over 2 billion more people, which is the equivalent of adding another China and India. Food production will have to increase at least 40% and most of that will have to be grown on the fertile soils that cover just 11% of the global land surface. However, there is little new land that can be brought into production and existing land is being lost and degraded. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization states that annually, 75 billion tons of soil, the equivalent of nearly 10 million hectares, which is about 25 million acres, of arable land is lost to erosion, water-logging and salination and another 20 million hectares is abandoned because its soil quality has been degraded. Contact with contaminated soil may be direct, from using parks, schools etc., or indirect by inhaling soil contaminants which have vaporized or through the consumption of plants or animals that have accumulated large amounts of soil pollutants, and may also result from secondary contamination of water supplies and from deposition of air contaminants

Main Causes of Soil Pollution

–  Industrial wastes such as harmful gases and chemicals, agricultural pesticides, fertilizers and insecticides are the most common causes of soil pollution.

– Ignorance towards soil management and related systems.

– Unfavorable and harmful irrigation practices.

–  Improper septic system and management and maintenance of the same.

– Leakages from sanitary sewage.

–  Acid rain, when fumes released from industries mix with rain.

–  Fuel leakage from automobiles that get washed away due to rain and seep into nearby soil.

–  Unhealthy waste management techniques, which are characterized by release of sewage into the large dumping grounds and nearby streams or rivers.

Types of Soil Pollution

Land pollution from domestic and industrial solid waste

Electronic goods, broken furniture, junk papers, polythene bags, plastic cans, bottles, wastewater, toxic waste from the hospital etc. are examples of solid waste which pollute the soil. Most of this litter is non biodegradable. These wastes affect the soil structure by being blocked in it for long periods. Because these solid wastes do not decay easily, they lie on landfill sites for thousands of years and keep polluting the soil and the environment continuously. In addition to the soil, humans and animals living around these landfill sites are greatly harmed.

Household waste, industrial waste etc. contain residues of harmful toxic inorganic and organic chemicals. In these residues, radiation elements such as strontium, cadmium, uranium, ladders are found, which affect the vitality and fertility of the land. Fly ash is a major source of pollution surrounding the industrial area. There are chemicals or other types of waste in industries, which are dumped at some place. So much so that soil becomes polluted and trees and plants do not even grow in such a part.

Soil pollution by chemical substances

The use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers has increased for cultivating more crops and these pollutants are making the soil poisonous and in many places the soil has become dead due to excessive use of it.

Producers of fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, pharmaceuticals produce a lot of solid and liquid waste. Due to leaks from pipes and gutters, pollutants also go into the soil and spread pollution In the chemical and nuclear power plants, a large amount of waste is released continuously and due to the absence of proper arrangements for their storage and disposal, these substances pollute the soil.

In commercial agriculture, insecticides are being used indiscriminately and inorganic chemical fertilizers are also being used day by day. The chemical fertilizers are polluting the environment and groundwater resources of phosphate, nitrogen and other organic chemical land. The most dangerous pollutants are bioactive chemicals, due to which the micro-organisms of climates and other soil are being destroyed resulting in decreased quality of soil. Toxic chemicals enter the diet chain, so that they reach the top consumer. Bioactive chemicals are also called Creeping Deaths. In the last 30 years, the use of organic chemicals has increased by more than 11 times. India alone is using 100,000 tonnes of bio-chemicals per annum.

Continuous deforestation

Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air; provide oxygen for humans and other organisms. Apart from these, tree plantations are also helpful in prevention of soil pollution and erosion. Tree plantation rejuvenates the lost potency of soil. But unfortunately, we are continuously cutting trees on the millions of acres of land for the wood required for construction and the land required for the cultivation, besides mining work.

Effects os Soil Pollution on Human Lives

More than 70% of the soil pollutants are carcinogenic in nature, intensifying the chances of developing cancer in the humans exposed to the polluted soils. Long-term exposure to benzene and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), for instance, is linked to the development of leukemia and liver cancer respectively. Soil pollutants can also cause skin diseases, muscular blockage, and central nervous system disorders.

 Humans can be affected indirectly due to bioaccumulation or food poisoning. It happens when people consume crop produce that is grown in the polluted soils or when they consume animal products that eat plants from polluted soils. As a result, humans suffer from acute illnesses and may experience premature death.

Effects of Soil Pollution on the Environment

When soils are repeatedly contaminated and accumulate large amounts of poisonous materials and chemicals, the soil reaches a point where it cannot support plant life. Soil pollutants interfere with soil chemistry, biology, and structure. When these changes occur, beneficial soil bacteria, soil microorganisms, soil nutrients, and soil chemical processes begin to deteriorate to an extent where they diminish soil fertility. The ecological balance is lost completely. On this basis, the soil becomes unsuitable for crop survival or any other form of vegetation. If the plants die, then it means animals dependent on the plants will also die. This leads to migration of the larger animals and predators to other regions to find food supply, gradually leading to a reduction in wildlife and extinction. Soil pollution can as well change plant metabolism and lower crop productivity. Besides, when plants take up the soil contaminants, they pass them up the food chain, endangering the health of animals and humans.

Reference and citation ( External link included)

1. Everything Connects. Org (www.everythingconnects.org/soil-pollution.html)

2. Help Save Nature (www.helpsavenature.com/soil-pollution-causes-effects)

3. India Celebrating (www.indiacelebrating.com/environmental-issues/soil-pollution/)

Main Author of the article: Sujeet Kumar (prolific and versatile journalist with more than 10 years of experience in reporting and writing. Passionate about journalism and the other areas of communications, he has extensively written on a wide range of topics and issues for India’s leading publications. A Master in Mass Communication from GJU and Bachelor of Arts from University of Delhi, he has also handled desks, besides contributing to regular columns at various journalistic organisations)

4. Earth Eclipse (www.eartheclipse.com/pollution/devastating-effects-of-soil-pollution.html)

Main Author of the article: Sonia Madaan (Sonia is a High School Graduate and Runs the Writing and Editing Team for EarthEclipse.com. She is Extremely Passionate about Environment, Technology and Computing.)