Opinions about Environment with reference from 2 articles

The 2 articles referred to are "Ocean fish could disappear in 40 years: UN" and "2010 Year of Biodiversity Tries to Rein in Runaway Extinctions ".

These 2 articles are similar in that they are both about initiatives started by the authoritative global organisation, the United Nations. The articles also focus on measures and problems related to serious environmental problems. Notably, both articles emphasize on drastic consequences if pressing issues are not resolved in the near future.

Based on these 2 articles, the world has little time in reversing harmful practices in hope of a sustainable environment. Ocean fish population is continually battered by huge fishing fleets, pollution, among other factors. Statistics included shows that millions of people worldwide depend heavily on fish, whether financially or for nutrition. Moreover, an extinction of ocean fish would affect the biodiversity of the ocean ecosystem, causing collapse among other populations.

In this manner, the article "2010 Year of Biodiversity Tries to Rein in Runaway Extinctions " is more of a macro version of the other article mentioned above. This article warns us that as Global Warning ensues, plants and animals worldwide have little choice but to perish under drastic environmental conditions. There are still things we can do to reverse the trend, and one way is to support the 2010 Year of Biodiversity.

Past the deeds we have done, perceptions play a bigger role in causing environmental disorder than the motivation of money. Subsidies are one cause of depleting fish population, as fishing fleets can earn larger profits. This stems from the governments' viewpoint that productivity is more important than environmental health. Pollution is also allowed in many countries, because of the perception that motor cars and factories are more important than environmental health.

Another facet of this issue lies in myopic views. Some people assume that environmental damage is restricted only to the organisms directly affected. They assume that organisms are isolated from the food chain, while forgetting that human beings are part of that food chain. One example is the interview of some Singaporeans after an oil slick occurred off Singapore's coast. Some claimed that the oil is on the surface of the water, thus not affecting the fish swimming underneath.

Green technology has been developed in recent years, although environmental destruction is still happening worldwide due to oil exploration, mining, among others. Green technology can replace only a portion of pollution-causing industries, thus we need to scrimp and save unique resources. The economy is recovering and it has been likened to the Great Depression in the 1920s. Since after the Great Depression, countries used pollution-creating industries to accelerate economic growth, we can start using green technology to do the same instead.

The United Nations (UN) is setting a good example for all countries to follow, in environmental terms. Following this example, countries could start their own initiatives and green policies, like the Singapore Green Plan in Singapore. Global organizations take greater consideration and time compared to individual countries, and feasible plans may be too superficial, due to the need of agreement from various countries.

Strive forward while thinking of our future generations, that is how we can save our planet.
Support World Environment Day!!

By: Kwee Peng