Scientists Propose a Policy to Prevent Sixth Mass Extinction

In News

On the Earth Day (22 April 2019), Scientists have proposed a policy for the world to prevent the extinction of species on the planet. The policy is named – Global Deal for Nature (GDN).

In-Detail

• Anthropogenic activities have aggravated the extinction process on Earth.
• Earth witnessed five mass extinctions so far and the sixth is being caused by humans.
• To prevent further loss of biodiversity, 19 international Scientists have proposed a policy called Global Deal of Nature.
• As per the policy, $100 billion is needed every year to save the diversity and abundance of life on earth.
• GDN plan will be implementing and integrating climate and nature deals at a global level to avoid loss of biodiversity.
• Just like the Paris Climate Agreement that brought the world together to tackle climate change, GDN will be a global conservation plan to prevent sixth mass extinction.
• GDN is science-based and time-bound.
• The proposed plan has detailed guidelines, milestones, and targets for the world nations to follow and achieve.
• They will help the world avoid the threat of a two-degree increase in temperatures that might lead to biodiversity catastrophe.

Important Goals

• The three main goals of the GDN are:
  1. Conserving 30% of the Earth’s surface in order to protect the biodiversity.
  2. To conserve the Earth’ carbon storehouses to mitigate climate change
  3. And reducing any major threat to biodiversity.
• The plan envisages setting up protected areas as natural ecosystems where biodiversity can thrive.

Conclusion

It is absolutely necessary for nations to consider the GDN plan at a time when the world is looking at an uncertain future with rising temperatures and loss of diversity due to human activities.