Are We Facing a Mass Extinction?
By: Riley Koenig
Earth has undergone five mass extinctions over its extensive history – End Ordovician, Late Devonian, End Permian, End Triassic, and most recently, End Cretaceous (most commonly marked by the demise of our planet’s dinosaurs). At a certain point, we must ask ourselves – if it’s happened before, is it unreasonable to say it might happen again?
A mass extinction is an event defined as “when at least half of all species die out in a relatively short time.” In brief, they are catastrophic slashes in a population that permanently alter the course in which the geographical and mortal world continues. As time progresses and humans evolve, these events grow larger and ultimately more deadly. These population cuts initially began with small marine organisms, catapulting into marine species, followed by two extinctions of vertebraes, and finally the destruction of the Mesozoic Era and its prehistoric inhabitants. These have led us to where we are today: the Quaternary Period. We are currently in the second Epoch—also known as a subdivision of a period—titled the Holocene.
The question of mass extinction has shifted dramatically in the modern age. No longer are we principally worried about stray meteorites, volcanic activity, droughts, or other natural triggers. The largest concern at this stage of geological existence is the growing issue of climate change. At astounding rates, human activity is leading to global extinction. With climate change being the root cause, almost 42,100 species face the risk of extinction. According to Iberdrola, a global leader in clean energy, “It is estimated that one-third of corals, freshwater mollusks, sharks, and rays, one-fourth of all mammals, one-fifth of all reptiles, and one-sixth of all birds are heading towards extinction” across the globe today. These extinctions can be largely attributed to human activity, which results in the release of fossil fuels into the atmosphere. When fossil fuels are burned, they release excessive amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere (also defined as greenhouse gases, which may sound familiar if you’ve ever taken a science class). These gases trap heat in our atmosphere, warming our planet and raising global temperatures. This doesn’t just result in a slight increase in temperature—it leads to rising sea levels, detrimental to both marine life and human habitation. It causes food scarcity because of worsening agricultural conditions. And perhaps most alarmingly, it means worsening health and poverty for the human population.
Experts currently debate if what we are experiencing properly constitutes a mass extinction. It can be difficult to differentiate, given species can go extinct for various reasons, and the average background rate is around 10,000 species every 100 years. However, if you’ve been paying attention to global news for the last several years, extreme weather conditions have been growing in quantity. Flooding, droughts, harsh hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters have become increasingly common. These are overwhelmingly attributed to the destructive effects of climate change. As water grows warmer, the speeds of wind increase. Droughts become more common. Wildfires burn longer on dry land. Rain grows more excessive as water speeds up its evaporation rate. Sea levels rise as glaciers melt. Soon enough, the weather we deem as unexpected today will turn into commonplace events.
Since the Industrial Revolution of the mid-19th to the early 20th century, Earth’s resources have been exploited without promises of recovery. 70% of the planet’s land surface has been altered by humans, 40% being specifically for food production. Because of this disturbance, forests and agricultural spaces are being negatively impacted by deforestation and the new inability to provide habitats for animals who previously found residence. Climate change will only continue to grow exponentially, challenging the durability of our current ecosystems and forcing us as a population to evolve to worsening weather conditions and natural disasters, in addition to a rapidly declining lack of natural resources. We are at grave risk of crumbling the foundations of the environment we depend upon.
But you don’t have to give up on your planet – there is still time to make a difference. Grassroots efforts, government action, and powerful initiatives are working tirelessly to reverse the damage we have inflicted on our environment and repeal the methods of pollution that pose the greatest threat of extinction to our planet. The Paris Agreement, for example, was signed in 2016 by the United Nations (UN). It issued a global state of emergency that led to the decision to pursue efforts to limit the temperatures from rising over 1.5℃ above pre-industrial revolution levels. The ability and responsibility of a sixth mass extinction lies in our hands. Though there is still much to be done for these efforts, unification of humanity can yield positivity. As a collective, the human race can still take the ethical route, and prioritize the Earth’s well-being over all else. The outreach of climate-centric initiatives are increasing, as is global awareness surrounding the issue. We are the youth – and change begins with us. How are you going to make a difference?
Would you like to take action or learn more about this issue facing us today? Visit the resources below!
https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/what-is-the-sixth-mass-extinction-and-what-can-we-do-about-it
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/paris-agreement
Works Cited:
Mass Extinction: What Happened 65 Million Years Ago? | AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/dinosaurs-ancient-fossils/extinction/mass-extinction. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
“Climate Change Is Accelerating the Sixth Extinction.” Iberdrola, http://www.iberdrola.com/sustainability/climate-change-endangered-species. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
“Fossil Fuels and Climate Change: The Facts.” ClientEarth, http://www.clientearth.org/latest/news/fossil-fuels-and-climate-change-the-facts/#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20link%20between,temperature%20has%20increased%20by%201C. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
“What Is Mass Extinction and Are We Facing a Sixth One?” Natural History Museum, http://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-mass-extinction-and-are-we-facing-a-sixth-one.html. Accessed 6 Nov. 2024.
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