Three imminent scourges identified by the Frontières scientific report

In 2016, the very first report in the Frontiers series, reports published by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), alerted the world to the growing risk of zoonotic diseases. It was 4 years…before the start of the pandemic of the Covid-19 which still lasts.

Today, UNEP publishes its 2022 edition which highlights three threats considered imminent: that of forest fires, that of noise pollution and that of disruptions to natural life cycles. Three threats that particularly highlight light the urgency of facing today, simultaneously, three real crises: the global warmingpollution and loss of biodiversity.

Forest fires, a growing risk

Between 2002 and 2016, the report highlights that approximately 423 million hectares went up in smoke each year. It is the equivalent of the surface… of the European Union! And the trouble is that in the context of global warming, researchers expect that the weather conditions favorable to these Forest fires — rising temperatures, drought, etc — last longer and come back more often and more intensely. Land use changes are presented as another risk factor in the matter. Just like inappropriate management policies.

Forest fires pose a health hazard not only to people caught in the fires, but also to those who breathe in the smoke. Sometimes thousands of miles away. On the biodiversity side, scientists estimate that changes in the regimes of these fires could endanger more than 4,400 species. Not to mention the fact that the smoke from forest fires is responsible for new emissions of greenhouse gas and could well, in time, transform the carbon sink What are forests as a source of carbon?

The Borders 2022 report calls for the development of approaches to both fire prevention and response that include local communities. He also argues that investments will be needed in remote sensing methods such as satellites, radars and lightning detection systems.

The scourge of noise pollution

Cars, leisure activities or even trains and subways. It all makes noise. Lots of noise sometimes. The levels deemed acceptable by scientists are exceeded in many cities such as Algiers, Bangkok or New York. Noise is bad for human health. It may be the cause of sleeping troubles or heart disease, metabolic disorders or poor mental health. While the sounds of nature, they can help to find a certain well-being.

Noise pollution now affects one in five Europeans. And it is already at the origin of some 12,000 premature deaths per year. But noise pollution also affects wildlife. It alters the behavior of birds, insects and even amphibians.

Thus the Frontières 2022 report recommends reducing noise at source. Thanks to both investments in alternative mobility and the implementation of walls greens. The so-called very low emission zone of London should be taken as an example. And programs aimed at “building back better” after the pandemic should be more oriented towards creating green spaces in the city.

Disturbed natural rhythms

In nature, plants and animals rely on environmental cues to know when to unfold their leaves, when to reproduce, when to pollinate, when to flower or when to begin a migration. And when the environment changes — like right now, under the effect of the global warming –, the timing of these steps changes. But not at the same speed for all species. As a result, the rhythms of plants and animals tend to get out of sync.

According to scientists, the consequences of these changes will be felt in particular on agricultural food production. But also on commercial marine species and their prey, leading to a drop in the productivity of fisheries.

To better understand, research still needs to progress. However, maintaining suitable habitats and ecological connectivity, enhancing theintegrity of biological diversity, coordination of international efforts along migratory routes, support for resilience and maintaining the variation genetic within species already emerge as crucial conservation objectives. Just like, once again, limiting the rate of global warming by reducing CO emissions₂.