Mission 2015 : Whole EarthTriage: securing the futureLife has existed on Earth for over 3.5 billionyears. Over 95% of the species that everexisted have gone extinct. So why shouldwe be concerned about current extinctionrates and conserving biodiversity?IMPACT or FLOOD BASALT?“The fate of biological diversity for thenext 10 million years will almost certainlybe determined during the next 50-100 yearsby the activities of a single species. Thatspecies, Homo sapiens, is approximately200,000 years old.”Paul Ehrlich and Robert Pringle, PNAS, August 2008.In 2002, world leaders committed, through theConvention on Biological Diversity, to achieveA significant reduction in the rate of biodiversity loss by2010.Biodiversity is still declining with no reductions in rate andpressures on biodiversity incuding resource competition,invasive alien species, nitrogen pollution, climate changeimpacts, all showed increases.Bottom line: although progress has been made, rate of lossdoes not seem to be slowing.Meeting Places• Class will meet in three different places, so consult the“Syllabus” page before each class meeting to see whereyou will go• THIS MONDAY WEMEET in 32-123•
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