July, 11 2011, 02:15pm EDT
World Population Day Marks Global Population's March Toward 7 Billion
Event Highlights Need to Stabilize Human Population Growth, Save Biodiversity
TUCSON, Ariz.
Today marks the 23rd annual World Population Day, instituted by the United Nations to highlight the impacts of population growth on people and the environment. Governments, universities and public-interest groups the world over will hold educational forums and other events to stress the need to stabilize human numbers, projected to reach 7 billion this fall and 10 billion to 15 billion by 2100.
"When the United Nations instituted World Population Day in the late 1980s, there were already 5 billion people on our planet," said Randy Serraglio with the Center for Biological Diversity. "Now, as we approach 7 billion and counting, it's clear that we're rapidly exceeding the Earth's capacity to sustain life as we've known it."
The Center for Biological Diversity is the leading environmental group calling attention to the connection between unsustainable population growth and the loss of plant and animal species around the globe. To mark World Population Day, the Center has launched a public service ad on a 520-square-foot television screen in the heart of New York City's Times Square (see the ad at ExtinctionCrisis.org).
Over the past two decades, scientists have determined that human impacts on the planet are so pervasive that we're entering a new epoch dubbed the "Anthropocene." Human impacts are triggering the sixth mass extinction event in the Earth's history.
"Dramatic evidence that the current pace of human population growth is not sustainable is all around us," said Serraglio. "From the global disaster befalling our oceans and the runaway buildup of greenhouse gases to accelerating extinctions and the loss of biodiversity, we continue to ignore the underlying cause at our peril."
World Population Day is a chance to discuss solutions to the problem, such as universal access to birth control and family planning and a worldwide campaign to empower women and provide them with needed resources to control their reproductive futures.
"It's no secret that women with enhanced educational, economic and political opportunities choose to have fewer children," said Serraglio. "Sadly, more than 200 million women around the world who want access to birth control and family planning services still can't get them."
According to recent census figures, the U.S. population has now topped 300 million and may be headed for 450 million in coming decades.
"Our unique American combination of rapid population growth and extremely high levels of consumption place us squarely at the center of the problem," said Serraglio. "World Population Day is an excellent opportunity to talk about where our country is headed and what it means for our future on this planet."
At the Center for Biological Diversity, we believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature — to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that species need to survive.
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Landmark Declaration of Rights Safeguards Biobío River in Chile
"A paradigm shift is necessary," said an advocacy group. "Let's recognize now that the Biobío River has value in itself."
Sep 25, 2024
Biodiversity and Rights of Nature defenders celebrated a "historic moment" on Wednesday as communities in Chile joined advocacy groups in launching the first Declaration of Rights protecting an ecosystem in the South American country, with the document aiming to safeguard "the rights of Chile's Biobío River against mounting environmental threats."
Communities located along the river—the second-longest in the country—joined environmental advocates, Indigenous tribes including the Pehuenche and Lafkenche people, and scientists in several months of "participatory dialogues" to determine how to protect the Biobío River from industrialization and other threats to the countless species it supports and to the river itself.
International Rivers, a group dedicated to protecting free-flowing rivers around the globe, said that the "cornerstone of the declaration lies in its profound acknowledgment of the intrinsic value held by the Biobío River" and its right to flow unimpeded by hydroelectic projects, disruptions to the riverbed, and other activities.
The Declaration of Rights affirms the river's right to:
- Adequate flow to sustain the health of surrounding ecosystems;
- Unhindered flow and connectivity from the mountains to the sea;
- Preservation of structural integrity, vital functions, and evolutionary processes;
- Safeguarding native biodiversity; and
- Ongoing regeneration and restoration efforts, fostered through enduring partnerships with riverside communities.
According to International Rivers, major concerns of riverside communities and Indigenous people who have deep cultural connections to the river include ongoing hydroelectric projects including the Rucalhue and Frontera Hydroelectric Plants, which would join three that have already been completed.
Another proposed plant is in the planning stages, and like the others would "jeopardize the river's flow and water quality, resulting in loss of native biodiversity and affecting fish migration and ultimately leading to irreversible damage," said International Rivers.
The riverbed structure and water quality have also suffered from both legal and illegal extraction of boulders, rubble, gravel, and sand that have been taken for use in construction, and ecosystem defenders have warned about the negative impact of proposed road infrastructure projects in the Biobío region.
Projects including the Concesión Vial Puente Industrial, a viaduct and road connection, and road projects such as Costa Mar and Costanera "would cause the total destruction of the wetlands of these localities," said the group.
"These developments underscore the inadequacy of the national legal framework in ensuring the protection of riparian ecosystems and citizen participation, lacking international standards that prioritize sustainable development in harmony with nature," said International Rivers.
Alejandro Gatica, a member of the community group Defensa Ribera Norte Chiguayante, said the Declaration of Rights "revalues and protects the water network," which is "in an environmental crisis due to extractivist actions on its banks, with uncontrolled logging, lack of protection of its wetlands, and the coastal project that threatens to intervene in its structure."
In a video about the Declaration of Rights, International Rivers said the Biobío "has been sadly silenced" by industrialization, despite the crucial support it provides to "multiple ecosystems and countless riverine and terrestrial species, many of them endemic," in addition to "water security and food sovereignty of its riparian communities for whom it is a crucial element in agriculture, fishing, and tourism."
"When we deny its right to flow we are silencing it. When we pollute, exploit, degrade, and urbanize it we are silencing it. When we block its access and connection to communities we are silencing it," said the group. "A paradigm shift is necessary. Let's recognize now that the Biobío River has value in itself."
The launch of the declaration "signifies a pivotal moment," said Monti Aguirre, Latin America program director of International Rivers.
"This initiative underscores our shared dedication to preserving this vital ecosystem amidst mounting destructive pressures," said Aguirre. "The well-being of the Biobío River, along with that of surrounding communities, is imperiled by the pressures imposed on its ecosystem, stemming from established dams such as Ralco, Pangue, and Angostura, as well as proposed hydro-projects and extractive activities."
The recognition of the waterway's rights is "a bridge that not only guarantees the inherent value of rivers and natural entities, but is also key to the full realization of the human rights of their communities," said Constanza Prieto Figelist, Latin America director for Earth Law Center.
The international Rights of Nature movement has celebrated several victories in South America in recent months, including a court decision in Peru that granted rights to the Marañón River and a ruling in Ecuador that found pollution violated the rights of the Machángara River.
"The Rights of Nature favor the incorporation of more powerful standards of environmental protection and citizen participation in environmental issues through, for example, the figure of representatives or guardians of nature," she said. "Likewise, comparative experience shows that they are a powerful instrument for combating activities that favor biodiversity loss or climate change."
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Residents Evacuated After 'Dangerous' Chemical Leak From Railcar in Ohio
"I tasted and smelled it," a resident said. "It was burning my throat and eyes."
Sep 25, 2024
Residents near a toxic chemical leak from a railcar in a small town in southwestern Ohio remained under evacuation orders on Wednesday even after the leak had been contained.
A leak of styrene, a chemical used in plastic and rubber production, was discovered Tuesday afternoon in Whitewater Township, Ohio, about 16 miles west of Cincinnati. Video showed the chemical spewing from the top of a railcar reportedly owned by Genesee & Wyoming, a U.S.-based multinational.
Local authorities told residents within one-half mile of the incident to evacuate—210 households, covering the towns of Hooven and Cleves, which have a combined population of roughly 3,800—and those just outside that area to seal up their homes and shelter in place. A local alert called the situation "dangerous."
By Wednesday, the leak had been plugged but roads in the area were closed, as were the district's schools, as air quality tests were undertaken.
There have been no reported injuries but styrene is known to disrupt the nervous system, causing symptoms such as "tiredness, feeling drunk, slowed reaction time, concentration problems, and balance problems," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is also a possible carcinogen, the CDC says.
"I tasted and smelled it," Marcus Greer, a Hooven resident, toldThe New York Times. "It was burning my throat and eyes."
A dangerous chemical leak in Ohio has prompted school closures and evacuation orders in Whitewater Township. pic.twitter.com/DDuI4Hgp1I
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 25, 2024
The cause of the accident is unclear. Local authorities have said that they are focused on immediate public safety concerns and will conduct a thorough investigation later.
There was no derailment or fire. Authorities initially said that they were concerned about an explosion, but by Tuesday evening they had said that was no longer a concern. They've used firetrucks to spray the railcar down with water to keep it cool, and have managed to separate the railcar from the rest of the train. Other railcars on the train were also carrying styrene.
It is not the first such incident in the area. A styrene leak from a railcar occurred in Cincinnati in August 2005 after it was left to heat up for five months, the Cincinnati Enquirerreported.
The incident that was on many residents' minds following Tuesday's accident was more recent. In February 2023, a Norfolk Southern railcar carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, setting off fires and leading to a controlled chemical burn of vinyl chloride, a carcinogen. Chemicals released that week spread to 16 states, later research showed. East Palestine is some 300 miles from Whitewater Township.
Following Tuesday's accident, local residents worried that they wouldn't get the cleanup help they needed.
"We are Hooven, Ohio," said Greer, a fourth-generation resident. "They will ignore us."
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'There Must Be Accountability': Israeli Bombs Kill UN Workers, Children in Lebanon
"The Israeli government is killing children, women, and humanitarian workers in Lebanon, just as they have in Gaza."
Sep 25, 2024
As the Israeli military launched a fresh round of airstrikes on southern Lebanon Wednesday, humanitarian organizations decried Israel's killing of children, United Nations workers, and other civilians and demanded accountability on the world stage as the region careens toward all-out war.
On Tuesday, the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) issued a statement announcing that two of its staffers were killed by Israeli strikes in recent days. Israel has claimed it is targeting Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party and paramilitary group.
Dina Darwiche, a 12-year veteran of the UNHCR, and her youngest son were killed by an Israeli missile that hit her residence, the agency said. Ali Basma, who worked at the UNHCR office in Tyre for seven years, was killed on Monday.
"UNHCR is outraged by the killing of our colleagues, and we extend our deepest sympathies to their families and loved ones," the agency said. "The protection of civilians is a must, and we reiterate the secretary-general's call for urgent deescalation, and calls on all parties to protect civilians, including aid workers, in line with obligations under international humanitarian law."
Since its large-scale and unlawful device attacks last week, Israel has carried out massive bombing campaigns in southern and eastern Lebanon, killing nearly 600 people, injuring nearly 2,000, and forcing more than 90,000 people to flee their homes.
Israeli strikes have killed at least 50 children this week, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
"Our worst nightmare is now becoming a reality," said Jennifer Moorehead, Save the Children's Lebanon director. "Children in Lebanon have felt the crushing anxiety of a looming war since last October, and in the last few days their lives have been turned upside down, with densely populated neighborhoods bombed."
"Many of those fleeing are already vulnerable, including women, children, and refugee populations who have been living in displacement for months," Moorehead added. "This is a major, terrifying escalation but we have to remember that children in the south have been impacted by cross-border violence, living in fear for years. Any further escalation of hostilities will mean an unacceptable loss of human life. As always, children will bear the brunt of conflict. We strongly urge all parties to respect international humanitarian law and to deescalate this crisis immediately."
"This conflict was predictable and avoidable. It is the result of the failure to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza."
Foreign policy experts, human rights groups, and other observers have characterized Israel's escalatory bombardment of Lebanon as a foreseeable consequence of allowing the Israeli military to operate with impunity in the Gaza Strip, which has been decimated with the support of the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and other world powers.
"The Israeli government is killing children, women, and humanitarian workers in Lebanon, just as they have in Gaza," Humza Yousa, a member of the Scottish Parliament, wrote on social media. "If international law is to be worth the paper it is written on, then there must be accountability, not impunity."
Just this week, Israel has conducted more than a thousand strikes across Lebanon, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), and Hezbollah has responded with rocket fire. On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) hit roughly 280 sites in Lebanon that it characterized as Hezbollah targets, including buildings purportedly used to store weaponry.
But Lama Fakih, HRW's Middle East and North Africa director, said Wednesday that "the presence of a Hezbollah commander, rocket launcher, or other military facility in a populated area does not justify attacking the area without regard to the civilian population, including the duty to distinguish combatants from civilians and adhere to the rule of proportionality."
"Given the gravity of the situation, U.N. member states should take urgent action to establish an independent inquiry into violations during the current hostilities," said Fakih. "In parallel, Lebanon should also give the [International Criminal Court] a mandate to investigate grave international crimes."
As it pounded Lebanon with airstrikes, the IDF said Wednesday that it would call up two reserve brigades for "operational missions" in the north, amplifying fears of a ground invasion of Lebanon. The U.S. also announced earlier this week that it would send additional troops to the Middle East "in light of increased tension" in the region.
"This is a terrifying time for Lebanon," said Julie Mehigan, Christian Aid's head of Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. "People are in shock at the number of civilians killed, including 50 children. Nobody knows when the next Israeli airstrike will happen or where they will be hit. Our local partners in Lebanon have told us that after witnessing the failure to stop the huge numbers killed in Gaza, they fear that they will soon face the same fate."
In a
joint statement on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq warned that Israel is "pushing the entire region into an all-out war" and urged the U.N. Security Council—which has been rendered effectively powerless on Gaza by the U.S. veto—to " bear their responsibilities to stop the war."
Oxfam International similarly implored the international community to act, saying in a statement that "this broader regional escalation underscores the urgent need for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza."
"This conflict was predictable and avoidable," said Bachir Ayoub, Oxfam's Lebanon country director. "It is the result of the failure to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza. For decades, the people of Lebanon have endured one crisis after another without getting the opportunity to fully recover. This latest emergency will only deepen the existing challenges facing the people of Lebanon and further destabilize an already volatile region."
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