Nowadays, the need to curb environmental degradation is an urgent issue, starting with the depletion of natural resources, which threatens the extinction of ecosystems. The degradation of nature is a serious problem in itself, since humanity cannot continue to exist without it. It is closely linked to other global challenges, such as food security, which form vicious circles that can be very difficult to change.
Any effort to reduce environmental degradation can be a step towards success, which brings benefits in areas such as public health, energy security and employment.
Scarcity of natural resources
The continued degradation of nature will highlight the stability of society, because as the population grows, the demand for resources such as water and food will continue to increase.
Water use has increased at twice the rate of population growth over the past century. The United Nations estimates that 1.8 billion people will face water scarcity by 2025, with two-thirds of the world’s population facing water scarcity. Reasons for the scarcity of freshwater include rising temperatures, which increase water losses through evaporation, while rising demand can drive up water costs, and disputes over how to manage this precious resource have the potential to contribute to international tensions.
Climate change, population growth, and economic development in cities are all increasing water scarcity and will reduce the amount of land available for agriculture. Meanwhile, lesser-known natural resources, such as rare earth metals, are becoming scarcer as decarbonization efforts increase demand for rare resources, such as lithium for electric vehicle batteries. Such shortages can also fuel conflict, especially when economic and political circumstances create barriers to access.
Ecosystems on the brink of extinction
Natural ecosystems on land, in water and in the seas are being threatened by the same drivers and impacts. Global warming, pollution, deforestation, marine litter and ocean acidification are disrupting the natural functioning of ecosystems, and scientists are still working to understand their full extent and impacts.
Ecosystems are interconnected networks of life, and humans are not immune to the threats of ecosystem disruption. Extreme weather can be directly or indirectly fatal to the extinction of ecosystems, while increasing air pollution is posing significant risks to public health in urban areas. The World Health Organization estimates that 99% of the world’s population breathes polluted air that exceeds permissible pollution guidelines.
Protecting our planet
The challenge of environmental degradation may seem insurmountable, but damage reduction and repair can still be done. Most countries in the world aim to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in the coming decades and are helping to combat the exploitation and mismanagement of nature through a range of treaties, regulations and standards.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is considering how standardization can benefit the management and conservation of natural resources. ISO has established advisory groups to address existing work and market needs on rare earths and smart agriculture. As the market for carbon-reduction technology expands, there is considerable scope for the committee to begin work on new standards. It is working on the need for new standards, which serve to support the development and testing of new decarbonization technologies and approaches, such as reforestation.
Standards can provide part of the solution to ecosystem problems, but they also create a basis for cooperation and trust between companies, countries and consumers.
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