Extinction Risk

Research is beginning to show that the onset of climate change impact and the rate of animal species and plant extinction is significantly higher than recently believed.

See how our global population has grown up til 2018 and the projection to 2100:

Source: Our World in Data - population growth.

Population growth rate is reducing, however the current 7 billion people is still likely to rise to a peak of over 11 billion people by the end of the century. All needing to use the planet's limited resources:

Source: Our World in Data - population growth.

This global population growth is leading to the growth in greenhouse gas emissions. Notice how it is not just about energy:

Source: Our World in Data - carbon dioxide and environmental impact.

Now the scary piece. Unsurprisingly, our demands on the planet's resources are having a serious impact. Species extinction is now accelerating at a rate that is over several thousand times higher than the normal background rate of extinctions. And it is accelerating exponentially.

There are around 1.5 million different species currently identified on planet Earth. At this rate of species extinction** shown above, then by year 2100 (ie. in a mere 80 years) around a third of all species currently living on Earth will be extinct, and that is likely to have a direct and indirect serious impact upon the human species. That is within your children and grand children's life times. Think on. For more information about the imperative of extinction risk read this article by George Monbiot. Act now.

** means: the green graph line has a characterisation of the Number of extinct species = 5E-21 * exp (0.0285 * year). Hence in year 2100, around 491k species will be extinct based upon the extrapolation. See also WWF information on biodiversity and species extinction.