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Unceasing Human Attacks on the Source of 80% of Food, 98% of Oxygen — Global Issues


Several anthropogenic threats lie behind the current annual loss of up to 40% of food crops globally, mainly due to plant pests and diseases and the introduction of exotic species. Credit: Jency Samuel/IPS
  • by Baher Kamal (Roman)
  • Associated Press Service

Nothing. Rather, quite the opposite.

Several anthropogenic threats lie behind the current annual loss of up to 40% of food crops globally, mainly due to plant pests and diseases and the introduction of exotic species.

Among them are huge international trade and tourism businesses, which are involved in the introduction and spread of many pests.

Indeed, World trade hits a record 32 trillion US dollars in 2022, according to to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

As such a highly profitable business, it continues to bring in thousands of alien species that silently but relentlessly invade – and invade – the entire Planet Earth.

The ‘White Sea’ and the Black Sea were invaded and colonized

Just know that over 1,000 alien species have taken over the Mediterranean Sea (often referred to in Arabic as the ‘White Sea’) and the Black Sea.

But these two seas are no exception. All the seas of the world have been occupied by aliens. And anyway, this is not just the case with the sea: all the lands and air of the Planet are severely infected.

Such an alien invasion is extremely dangerous for native species, to the point where it is altering the nature of the waters and lands of these two almost enclosed seas.

aliens on ship

“They are non-native fish, jellyfish, shrimp, algae and many other marine and non-sea creatures, most of which are brought about by human activities such as giant cargo ships, ships oil tankers, cruise ships and even small and medium fishing boats. ,” reliable data showed in a recent meeting of the United Nations report.

The Mediterranean Sea ranks high on the list of the world’s most trafficked seas.

Do you know that more than 2,000 cargo ships, tankers, cruisers, crossing the Mediterranean Sea at any given time?

More than half of those alien species have established long-term and widespread populations, raising concerns about the threat they pose to marine ecosystems and local fishing communities, report The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization is based in Rome (FAO).

It is no surprise that this sea is experiencing a “tropicalizeThis process occurs as water temperatures rise, largely due to climate change, the United Nations warns.

From where and who is bringing them?

Many species have migrated through Mediterranean shipping lanes such as the Strait of Gibraltar or the Suez Canal, often attached to the hulls or inside of them in ballast waters, explain FAO.

Other species, such as Pacific oysters and Japanese carpet shells, were introduced to aquaculture in the 1960s and 1970s and have since escaped and colonized Mediterranean ecosystems.

The number of aliens is increasing

In other words, “Invasive species are changing the nature of the Mediterranean Sea,” the world body warned.

Stefano Lelli, a fisheries expert in the Eastern Mediterranean working for the General Commission for Mediterranean Fisheries, knows about it. “Climate change and human activities have had a profound impact on the Mediterranean and Black Seas.”

According to Lelli, “We have seen rapid and significant change in marine ecosystems, leading to some impact on the livelihoods of local communities. In the coming years, we expect the number of non-native species to continue to increase.”

Once established, non-native species can outperform native species and alter the ecosystems around them, with potential economic impacts on fisheries, the FAO report says. fish and tourism or even human health.

Mass tourism is not sustainable

Add to that the massive, often unsustainable, business of tourism, air and cruise tourism – both major contributors to the climate emergency–, and many species Other invasive pests are also associated with elevated temperatures, creating new niches for the pest to reside. and spread.

Do you know that The Mediterranean Sea is by far the biggest global tourist destination?

Simply put, it attracts almost a third of the world’s international tourists (one billion people per year), generating more than a quarter of total international tourism revenue (200 out of 750 billion euros, or about 230 billion euros). over 800 billion US dollars).

It is not surprising that it is one of the basins most infected by pests and foreign species.

What is the response to the global loss of 40% of food crops?

Instead of reacting quickly to repair all of this damage and avoid more damage, human activities overuse and overuse pesticides, harming pollinators, natural enemies, and the like. nature of pests and organisms important for a healthy environment. warning FAO.

“However, plant health is increasingly at risk. Plant pests are responsible for annual losses of up to 40% of food crops globally. This is particularly concerning for the millions of smallholder farmers and people in rural communities, who rely on agriculture as a primary source of income and see their livelihoods at risk.”

Humans continue to change ecosystems, reduce biodiversity…

The climate crisis and unsustainable human activities are altering ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and creating new niches for invasive pests to thrive.

At the same time, international travel and trade that can inadvertently spread pests quickly around the world have tripled in numbers over the past decade, causing massive damage to native plants and the environment.

In view of all of the above, it is not surprising that the United Nations has declared a International Plant Health DayHeld annually on 12 May, to raise global awareness of how protecting plant health can help alleviate hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and promote development. economic development.

Until – and how far – will human greed continue to destroy the very source of life on Planet Earth?

© Inter Press Service (2023) — All rights reservedOrigin: Inter Press Service

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