"Policies to address the climate crisis and any other symptoms must address the root cause: human overexploitation."Code Blue DotScientists have just taken the planet's vitals and made a dire prognosis. It appears that the damage humanity is causing could be fatal.According to them, out of 31 indicators of ecological health, which a group of distinguished scientists from a variety of universities looked at, 18 are in dire need of improvement. The update was compiled by 14,000 experts who signed a declaration declaring that the planet is in an emergency state. They conclude that we, as a society, are rapidly approaching environmental tipping points, and have already passed several others, thanks to their business-as-usual approach to managing our paleblue dot.Laundry ListThe levels of atmospheric methane (and carbon dioxide) are at an all-time high. The Arctic ice and glaciers have dropped to an all-time low. The sea levels and oceanic temperatures have reached their highest level, along with the Amazon's rate of deforestation.The list of ecological disasters is endless. University of Exeter Global Systems Institute director Tim Lenton warned AFP the climate is reacting in surprising, unexpected ways.AdvertisementAdvertisementTie the threadExperts warn that too much attention to one issue can lead to a wild goose chase. Experts say the global problem is more important than any one factor or hazard. This is why humanity's winner-takes-all approach to planet stewardship is so problematic.According to William Ripple, an Oregon State University ecologist, climate emergencies should not be treated as a separate problem. Global warming is not the only symptom of a stressed Earth system. The root cause of climate crisis and other symptoms must be addressed.READ MORE: Earth's vital signs are worsening as humanity's impact deepens [Agence France-Presse]More about the planet: Scientists warn of a grim future for the global environmentAdvertisementAdvertisement
