What is the 6th Mass Extinction?

The planet is undergoing a sixth mass extinction: so that means it’s the sixth time in the history of life on Earth that global fauna has experienced a major collapse in numbers.

The Amur leopard is critically endangered.

In short, it’s human caused. While we consume things, words and the internet, something more important is actually occurring around us. You know, to Vehicle Earth and the environment.

This isn’t an Earth Day litany, this is the environmental apocalypse. A lot of people just don’t get it and are too short sighted to care.

Earth has supported life for 3.5 billion years, but its hospitality is hardly consistent. There are these global “resets” on what life can or could be. Human beings have devastated global biodiversity in a very short period.

Read the story from Medium by Michael K. Spencer - ”What is the 6th Mass Extinction?”

Insect population decline leaves Australian scientists scratching for solutions

A global crash in insect populations has found its way to Australia, with entomologists across the country reporting lower than average numbers of wild insects.

Entomologists are concerned Australia's insect populations are in decline.

University of Sydney entomologist Dr Cameron Webb said researchers around the world widely acknowledge that insect populations are in decline, but are at a loss to determine the cause.

"On one hand it might be the widespread use of insecticides, on the other hand it might be urbanisation and the fact that we're eliminating some of the plants where it's really critical that these insects complete their development," Dr Webb said.

"Add in to the mix climate change and sea level rise and it's incredibly difficult to predict exactly what it is."

Entomologist and owner of the Australian Insect Farm, near Innisfail in far north Queensland, Jack Hasenpusch is usually able to collect swarms of wild insects at this time of year.

Read the ABC News story by Mark Rigby - “Insect population decline leaves Australian scientists scratching for solutions.”

The devil is in the detail, or in this case 'the numbers'

I

n the current debate in Australia on greenhouse gas emissions reductions, numbers and terms like ‘significance’ are often used selectively and out of context to justify a lack of action.

Numbers need to be tested against the broader picture to tell a more complete story.

The Climate Institute have put together the numbers, explained them and in context the numbers illustrate that Australia has much to do.

Read about the number - “Australia’s emissions:what do the numbers really mean?”

Minister claims success for Direct Action, but!

A

ustralia’s Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, claims that the government’s direct action scheme is already reducing the country’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Environment Minister, Greg Hunt,
claiming success for Direct Action.

A Melbourne Age story tells of Mr Hunt’s almost triumphalist views that Direct Action has secured Australia’s climate future, arguing that projected targets for curtailing greenhouse gas emissions.

The story - “Has Greg Hunt's direct action scheme fixed climate change policy in Australia?” – reports that, “Mr Hunt said the tender process was "a stunning success", and interest did exceed what some critics had expected.”

The Age says, “The numbers being bandied about, though, warrant closer examination.”

Numbers help us understand climate change

Numbers can be used to describe anything, including the extremes of climate change.

And now the Huffington Post has used numbers, 21 or them exactly, to help us see the reality that is climate change.

The story headed: “21 Numbers That Explain Why The Time To Address Climate Change Is Right Now, Or Maybe Yesterday”, lists 21 numbers to help explain one of the most pressing global issues of our time.

This might be America, but Australia stands in the same queue

Just some of the damage of 'Superstorm
Sandy' as week after the event.

This is America and not Australia it might be argued, but like the flow of money around the world which appears unrestricted, climate change knows no boundaries.

A story in Mother Jones headed: “Flood, Rebuild, Repeat: Are We Ready For Another Superstorm Sandy Every Other Year?” helps us understand the numbers, or the economics, of climate change.

The economics of climate change induced damage appear at first glance as contrived and cherry-picked to simply support arguments for climate change, but they are not.

Rather, they are real, they are numbers that refer to infrastructure, they are numerical additions that equate with the lives of millions; they are the cost, the real cost, of ignoring the realities that humanity has changed the world’s climate.