The last wilderness of the world could disappear due to human activity: study

MELBOURNE: The last wild areas of the world are rapidly disappearing because of human activities, according to a study that revealed that between 1993 and 2009, a larger area than India had been lost in because of colonization, agriculture, mining and other pressures.

Researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia have stated that explicit international conservation goals are absolutely necessary to protect the world's last wilderness.

The study, published in the journal Nature, mapped intact ocean ecosystems, as a complement to a 2016 project listing the remaining wild areas.

Professor James Watson, of the School of Earth Sciences and the Environment of UQ, said the two studies provided the first comprehensive picture of the rarity of nature wild.

"A century ago, only 15% of the Earth's surface was used by humans for the cultivation and breeding of livestock," he said.

"Today, more than 77% of the lands – with the exception of Antarctica – and 87% of the oceans have been altered by the direct effects of human activities," said M Watson.

"It may be hard to believe, but between 1993 and 2009, a wilderness area larger than India – 3.3 million square kilometers – was lost to human settlements, agriculture, mining and other pressures, "he said. I said.

The researchers said that in the ocean, the only areas free of industrial fishing, pollution and shipping were almost entirely confined to the polar regions.

James R Allan, a postdoctoral fellow at the UQ, said the remaining wilderness in the world could only be protected if its importance was recognized in international politics.

"Some wilderness areas are protected by national legislation, but in most countries these areas are not formally defined, mapped or protected," he said.

"We need the immediate establishment of bold wilderness goals, especially those aimed at preserving biodiversity, avoiding dangerous climate change and achieving sustainable development", said Allan.

Researchers insist that global politics must be translated into local action.

"One of the obvious interventions that these countries can privilege is the creation of protected areas so as to slow down the effects of industrial activity on a larger land or sea landscape," said Mr. Watson.

"But we must also stop industrial development to protect indigenous livelihoods, create mechanisms for the private sector to protect nature, and encourage the expansion of regional fisheries management organizations," he said. he declared.