Science Panel - Coming Extinction Spasm Will Be "Catastrophic" - Guardian

The Earth is on the brink of "major biodiversity crisis" fuelled by the steady destruction of ecosystems, a group of the world's most distinguished scientists and policy experts warn today.

Nineteen leading specialists in the field of biodiversity, including Robert Watson, chief scientist at the World Bank, and Professor Georgina Mace, director of the Institute of Zoology, are calling for the urgent creation of a global body of scientists to offer advice and urge governments to halt what they call a potentially "catastrophic loss of species".

Destruction of natural habitats and the effects of climate change are causing species to die out at 100 to 1,000 times faster than the natural rate, leading some scientists to warn we are facing the next mass extinction. Nearly one-quarter of the world's mammals, one-third of amphibians and more than one-tenth of bird species are threatened with extinction. Climate change alone is expected to force a further 15%- 37% of species to the brink of extinction within the next 50 years.

Writing in the journal Nature today, the experts from 13 nations urge for the new body, the international mechanism of scientific expertise on biodiversity (Imoseb), to be set up to force better biodiversity policies around the world. "We are on the verge of a major biodiversity crisis. Virtually all aspects of diversity are in steep decline and a large number of populations and species are likely to become extinct this century. Despite this evidence, biodiversity is still consistently undervalued and given inadequate weight in both private and public decisions," the authors say.

EDIT

http://www.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,1824726,00.html

better luck next time...

Excellent.

I may be a pacifist, but don't fuck with me! That's sort of how I feel about things. :)

We'd better fix this thing!

things are changing so fast now...and still they deny the ecological damage that we are causing. I fear for my planet and can only pray for it's safekeeping. Planting trees and reducing my own carbon emissions helps me feel better, but sometimes I despair because of how little I can do.

We can just engineer our way out of it. No prob.

There are two options- bigger, or smaller. The bigger option is easier, but has a painful surprise for a conclusion. The smaller option is sustainable, but takes some thought, and a lot more work.

Just my opinion of course!:(

Depresses me, and how desparate this situation is getting. Undoubtedly, there will be thousands of species pushed to extinction as a result of global warming. I've always argued that the reason mankind should do everything we can to assure the survival of other life forms is that in doing so, we assure our own survival...not to mention the priceless worth of our planet's incredible environment.

Thanks for posting this...everyone must understand what is at stake here.

Nineteen leading specialists in the field of biodiversity, including Robert Watson, chief scientist at the World Bank, and Professor Georgina Mace, director of the Institute of Zoology, are calling for the urgent creation of a global body of scientists to offer advice and urge governments to halt what they call a potentially "catastrophic loss of species".

gets me. No advice offered is heard under this misadministration - they thumb their noses at science. And not only this government but others around the world seem to care less about any loss of species! Now if we could change the words to money and power, they'd sit up and take notice.

people i talk to about this issue in my very, very red area tell me "that doesn't affect me"

it makes me nearly violent with rage. i manage to hide it and ask them about their children... don't they care about what they'll have to go through? most of the time the answer is a blank stare. i can only pray the wheels are turning somewhere buried in that mass of wasted gray matter.

it's so flipping hard to talk to these people

Ok, so we know about it now. What can we do??? How to spread the word to everyone? Pass out flyers?