Africa-Press – Eritrea. How could a planet that gives all be turned into an unproductive and less suitable one? Do we know that we are letting mother earth perish for a luxurious life that we don’t even need? Though the earth was marvelously green, our incessant degradations and negative transformation over the years have drained its energy. If we continue to produce and consume the way we do now, where will the earth be, say in 30 years?
Human beings, in their unrelenting pursuit of modernization, have turned into a force of destruction that undermines the ecosystem. The limitless extraction of resources and emission of waste have been upsetting the environment, threatening our very survival. We are all aware that there is no planet B we can go to; however, we are living and acting as if there are ten more that we could choose from as an alternative home for humankind. The growing demand for resources and the fast degradation of the natural environment are gradually changing the globe.
The world needs to unite to deal with environmental problems. The World Environment Day, which is held on June 5, reminds us of the importance of protecting the environment in order to sustain our future.
Eritrea is blessed with grand terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem. To make this eternal, we need to restore the beauty of the land and the waters and revive our ecosystem. Guided by awareness , willingness and responsibility, our perspectives and feelings about the ecosystem must grow strongly positive.
Since most of our people depend on agriculture for their livelihood and use fire woods as their main source of energy and for construction, the land is prone to erosions and desertification. The government has been working to halt the environmental degradation and improve soil productivity. Through a series of campaigns, a lot has been done to fight environmental degradation. Local communities and members of the defense forces often engage in planting trees and terracing lands. The greening campaign that is done every year by students during their summer holidays has been elevating the precious land’s wellbeing. Growing trees, terracing lands and cleaning up rivers and coasts are some of the greatest way to make peace with nature.
Saving our country is the duty of every citizen and so problems of the environment such as air pollution and sea contamination must get special attention from the public. The Eritrean government’s move in banning plastic bags back in 2004 did contribute toward having a healthier ecosystem making Eritrea the first African country to take such a bold action. The government’s actions and the people’s devotion to greening the environment will recover the degraded ecosystem and help conserve the areas whose natural beauty has not been undermined. Only with a healthy ecosystem can we counter climate change, stop the collapse of biodiversity and improve people’s livelihoods.
The world is increasingly changing into an environment that is less suitable for its inhabitants. Taking actions now and working hand in hand with the rest of the world can guarantee our safety. Let’s all shift to using eco-friendly products and make changes in our consumption patterns. If we fail to unite and make changes to our luxurious life styles, the terrifying outcome of our ignorance is bound to happen soon. It is forecasted that in 2040 the climate change and the weakening productivity of the land will cause an increase in the price of food by 30% globally. Furthermore, in 2050, it is predicted that the increasingly dwindling harvest will result in a loss of more than 10 trillion dollars. This might force around 700 million people to get uprooted and migrate, resulting, in many instances, in unusual contact between humans and animals that has the potential to cause the spread of new viruses and diseases.
Ideas are worth nothing unless they are applied. The smallest of implementations is always worth more than the grandest of intentions. Let’s take an excellent care of the present for a colorful eternity because nature is way too valuable to be treated like it is today.
