A new Frontiers report which was published on Thursday by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has shown that there is an urgent need to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.
The report, which is the fourth edition, showed that wildfires are burning more severely and more often while urban noise pollution is growing into a global public health menace.
First published in 2016, the frontiers report also showed that phenological mismatches – disruptions in the timing of life-cycle stages in natural systems – are causing ecological consequences.
The report called for “greater investment in reducing the risks of wildfires; development of prevention and response management approaches that include vulnerable, rural, traditional and indigenous communities; and further refinements in remote sensing capabilities, such as satellites, radar and lightning detection.”
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According to Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP, the Frontiers Report identifies and offers solutions to the three environmental issues that merit attention and action from governments and the public at large.
“Urban noise pollution, wildfires and phenological shifts – the three topics of this Frontiers report – are issues that highlight the urgent need to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss,” Anderson said.
The report explained that “COVID-19 lockdowns brought a new appreciation for green spaces and the reduction of urban traffic noise” adding that programmes meant to ‘build back better’ represent an “under-utilised opportunity for policymakers, urban planners and communities to create additional green spaces for all.
Story was adapted from Premium Times.
