In the article, "Condition Critical: An exclusive look at a U.N. assessment of
Earth's ecosystems shows they are strained to the limit," the author Eugene Linden begins
by addressing the fact that the Earth has been showing signs of distress for the past forty
years. The signs were not as noticeable at first, but as time drew on, the fact that Earth
was in trouble became very clear. Linden believes that the few who take an active role in
preserving the Earth and the minor programs that have been started are just not enough to
stop the downfall of Earth's ecosystems.
At the United Nation's millennial session they started a four million dollar project
called the Pilot Analysis of Global Ecosystems (PAGE). This study will determine
whether or not Earth is in the downward spiral that many scientists believe it is. This
study will set the stage for a much larger twenty million dollar study called the Millenium
Ecosystem Assessment, which is set to begin next year.
PAGE is sponsored by the U.N. Development program and the World Bank which
are agencies that deal primarily with economic issues. However, their involvement in
PAGE turns towards the likely possibility that if the environment of Earth is unhealthy,
then economies will not prosper either. Page also points out that the world's population is
producing beyond its capacity. The Earth's fishing fleets are 40% larger than the oceans
can support which will eventually put a good number of fisheries out of business. In the
past thirty years, global economies have increased food output and livestock production
but have depleted and polluted water supplies, ruined the soil and destroyed habitats.
PAGE also examines how human and industrial interference can disrupt the
Earth's ecosystems. PAGE reveals how the excess release of carbon dioxides and
nitrogen into the atmosphere can have negative eff...