The Dark Side

The Dark Side

10 Years Ago the Amazon Was Being Bulldozed for Soy - Then Everything Changed

Source: Green Peace

https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/victories/amazon-rainforest-deforestation-soy-moratorium-success/

Due to a rising demand for land to grow soy and cattle, the Brazilian Amazon was being destroyed at the second highest rate ever recorded in 2004 to 2005. According to the data released by the Brazilian government’s Prodes deforestation satellite monitoring system, 220,000 square kilometers in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes were deforested between 2006 and 2017. However, the Amazon soy moratorium agreement helped to fight deforestation where civil society and companies worked together.

Ocean warming threatens Antarctic wildlife

Author: David Adam

Source: The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2005/oct/19/frontpagenews.climatechange

Scientists in Antarctica have uncovered that an alarming rise in sea temperature might destabilize populations of penguins, whales, seals, and a variety of smaller animals in the coming decades. According to Lloyd Peck, a marine biologist, the animals appear to be very sensitive to temperature change and they are particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures.

Pollution is killing our waterways’

Author: Kiran Bose

Source: Energy Live News

https://www.energylivenews.com/2021/10/04/pollution-is-killing-our-waterways/

According to a report from RSPB, waterways across the UK are being destroyed by agricultural waste, raw sewage and pollution from abandoned mines. This has a direct impact on the life of various species which can even lead to extinction. Another devastating threat to waterways is the unregulated use of pesticides and fertilizers in U.K.

Australian wildfires declared among the 'worst wildlife disasters in modern history

Author: Linda Givetash

Source: NBC News

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/australian-wildfires-declared-among-worst-wildlife-disasters-modern-history-n1235071

In Australian wildfire of 2019-2020, nearly 3 billion animals were affected. It is regarded as one of the worst wildlife disasters in modern history as 143 million mammals, 2.46 billion reptiles, 180 million birds and 51 million frogs were affected. According to Lily van Eeden, a researcher at the University of Sydney, The report does not put an exact figure on how many animals were killed because of limited evidence.

Nepal battles worst forest fires in years as air quality drops

Source: Aljazeera

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/9/nepal-battles-worst-forest-fires-in-years-as-air-quality-drops

In 2021, Nepal faced its worst forest fires in years. Wildfires were burning in at least 60 places across 22 of Nepal’s 77 administrative districts. The forest fires even led to dangerous air pollution in Kathmandu and many other places. The government had received wide criticism for its lack of response to the situation from various sectors.

India's coastal, marine ecosystems facing destruction, says environmental organization

Source: Deccan Herald

https://www.deccanherald.com/science-and-environment/indias-coastal-marine-ecosystems-facing-destruction-says-environmental-organisation-846792.html

According to a leading global conservation organization, due to development and associated activities, pollution and climate change, India's coastal and marine ecosystems comprising sandy beaches, estuaries, creeks and mangroves. The major reason for the problem was overexploitation of resources and associated destructive, pollution from domestic, agricultural and industrial effluents and climate change.

Wildlife in 'catastrophic decline' due to human destruction, scientists warn

Author: Helen Briggs

Source: BBC News

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54091048

According to a major report by the conservation group, WWF, wildlife populations have fallen by more than two-thirds in less than 50 years. The report recorded an average 68% fall in more than 20,000 populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish since 1970. Habitat loss and the use and trade of wildlife are the major reason for such decline.

The Ghanaian villages destroyed by climate change – in pictures

Author: Nyani Quarmyne

Source: The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/gallery/2016/oct/07/ghana-villages-destroyed-climate-change-in-pictures

Photographer Nyani Quarmyne paid a visit to Totope, a little fishing community that was once three kilometers from the sea but has since vanished. On the Ghana coast, worsening coastal and riverine erosion is sweeping away houses and livelihoods.

Toxic Spills in Venezuela Offer a Bleak Vision of the End of Oil

Author: Fabiola Zerpa, Peter Millard and Andrew Rosati

Source: Bloomberg Green

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-12-15/oil-spills-in-venezuela-offer-bleak-vision-of-what-lies-ahead

Many fishermen and their families have left their home as shrimps are not found due to the oil spill at Rio Seco. The rupture of an offshore pipeline produced an enormous toxic geyser in the middle of local fishing grounds in September 2020. One of the main reason for this is massive government oil refineries operate with little environmental oversight.

The ozone hole over the South Pole is now bigger than Antarctica

Author: Jeevan Ravindran

Source: CNN

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/09/16/world/climate-ozone-antarctica-hole-scn-scli-intl/index.html

According to scientists from the European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, the hole in the ozone that forms every year over the South Pole is now larger than Antarctica. Vincent-Henri Peuch, Copernicus director said, “Now our forecasts show that this year´s hole has evolved into a rather larger than usual one.”