BY DIRRIBA TESHOME
Although the planet earth is providing all human kinds whatever they need from it, the supplier earth needs help. The climate emergency, the loss of nature and deadly pollution threaten to destroy our home and eliminate many of the millions of species that share this beautiful planet with us. But this degradation is not inevitable. We have the power and the knowledge to reverse the harm and restore the Earth – if we act now.
That is why the United Nations has declared the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Starting on World Environment Day 2021, individuals, groups, governments, businesses and organizations of all kinds can join forces in a global movement to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation and secure a sustainable future for all.
Ten years might seem a long time. But really, we are in a sprint. By 2030, we must nearly halve greenhouse gas emissions to prevent devastating climate change, as to the United Nations Environment Program.
Huge progress is needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals, from eliminating poverty and fighting disease to safeguarding biodiversity. We need to bend the curve on biodiversity loss – a frightening trend that may lead to the extinction of one million species consistent with several studies made by the international organizations.
Healthy ecosystems are vital to meeting those goals. Restoring them is a massive challenge. But more and more people realize that we must change our ways and move urgently to protect and rebuild nature for the sake of future generations and out of love for the world we live in.
Therefore, it is very essential to understand why ecosystems are so important to fully exert all the possible efforts in order to restore the nature.
Ecosystems are the web of life on Earth; an ecosystem comprises all the living organisms and the interactions among them and with their surroundings in a given place.
They exist at all scales, from a grain of soil to the entire planet, and include forests, rivers, wetlands, grasslands, estuaries and coral reefs. Cities and farmlands contain important human-modified ecosystems, as stated in Ecosystem Restoration Play Book.
Ecosystems afford us with inestimable benefits. They include a stable climate and breathable air; supplies of water, food and materials of all kinds; and protection from disaster and disease. Natural ecosystems are important for our physical and mental health, and for our identity. They are home to precious wildlife. For many, they are a source of wonder and spirituality.
All over the world, ecosystems face massive threats. Forests are being cleared; rivers and lakes polluted; wetlands and peat lands drained; coasts and oceans degraded and overfished; mountain soils eroded; and farmlands and grasslands overexploited.
Unless we change our ways and protect and restore our ecosystems, we will not only destroy the landscapes we love, we will undermine the foundations of our own well-being and bequeath a degraded, inhospitable planet to future generations.
Every human who wants to live a safer life on this globe should join the #Generation Restoration to identify opportunities for on-the-ground restorationin one’s area and find partners and support it. And we have to focus on how to relieve the pressure onecosystems by changing what one does and whatone buys, and mustencourage everyone to getserious about sustainability of the nature and its restoration.
As well, it is important to use both national and international annual environmental celebrations. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration islaunching on World Environment Day 2021. Heldevery year on June 5, World Environment Day isthe most important date on the calendar forcelebrating our environment and ramping upglobal efforts to protect the planet.
This year, World Environment Day is dedicated tothe protection and revival of precious ecosystemsall over the world. This is the perfect moment tojoin #GenerationRestoration and power changefor the better!
This article is written to help you get involved in ecosystem restoration. It outlines three ways to join the nature restoration campaign and improve the well-being of people and nature. These are: taking action; making smart choices; and raising your voice for restoration.
There are ideas for everyone, from individuals, communities and organizations to businesses and government agencies. Though World Environment Day could mark the start of your ambitious multi-year restoration project, the day you kick unsustainable products out of your life, or the moment you and others begin speaking up for the environment is just now.
For example, you can take action by announcing an ambitious restoration project or policy initiative, whether at local, regional or national level – tell the world what role you will play in a ten-year push.
The other action one may take is volunteering for an existing restoration effort. Cleaning up a lake, beach, park or other natural area is the one measure that an environmentally responsible citizen could take.
In the same way, greening your home, business, school, or a public space with indigenous trees or plants is essential in rehabilitating the nature.
Making smart choices is one of the very important ways of restoring the environment. One can make a smart choice in several ways.
Pledging a donation or other support for restoration or conservation initiatives is the first smart way. Halting purchases of products and services that are not certified as sustainable is the second smart choice intellectuals and responsible individuals make.
The third clever choice is starting a new diet or catering policy based on seasonal, sustainable and plant-rich products.
Raising voice for the nature is the other nature rehabilitating way. Putting on or participating in an exhibition of posters, photos or art showing the beauty of local ecosystems is very essential to restore the nature. Holding a discussion about the value of ecosystems and the threats they face creates awareness to those who are not well informed besides hindering those doing evil acts on the nature.
Staging an online campaign to draw attention to climate change, nature loss and what can be done to reverse these trends is one of the means in which caring and visionary individuals give their voices to the restoration of the nature.
As well, writing a letter to your local newspaper or other media outlets is the other strategy of becoming voice to the innocent nature.
In addition to these, whatever one may does, celebrating the moment and spreading the word is very crucial in order to let others scale up the nature restoring practice.Taking pictures of one’s activities on the nature rehabilitation and posting them onsocial media is essential to motivate others.
Especially, advertising the activities with the tag #Generation Restoration and #World Environment Day maximizes one’s contribution to the restoration movement.
In summing up, all human beings at any age and level, must change our ways and protect and restore our ecosystems. If not, we will not only destroy the landscapes we love, we will undermine the foundations of our own well-being and leave a degraded, inhospitable planet to the future generations.
The Ethiopian Herald April 27/2021
