In this months episode of Nature Bats Last on PRN.FM podcast, I was honoured to re-interview Professor Paul Ehrlich on his book “The Annihilation of Nature”,the show is embedded here:
“The numbers are sobering: Over all, there has been a human-driven decline in the populations of all species by 25% over the past 500 years, but not all groups have suffered equally. Up to a third of all species of vertebrates are now considered threatened, as are 45% of most species of invertebrates. Among the vertebrates, amphibians are getting clobbered, with 41% of species in trouble, compared to just 17% of birds—at least so far. The various orders of insects suffer differently too: 35% of Lepidopteran species are in decline (goodbye butterflies), which sounds bad enough, but it’s nothing compared to the similar struggles of nearly 100% of Orthoptera species (crickets, grasshoppers and katydids, look your last).“The Sixth Great Extinction is Underway and We’re to Blame;

Johns Hopkins University Press, The Annihilation of Nature
Published on Apr 23, 2015
“In this beautiful book, three of today’s most distinguished conservationists tell the stories of the birds and mammals we have lost and those that are now on the road to extinction. These tragic tales, coupled with eighty-three color photographs from the world’s leading nature photographers, display the beauty and biodiversity that humans are squandering.”
For a slide show of the wonderful photo’s and illustrations in this book click on the following link;The Annihilation of Nature
“The oft-repeated claim that Earth’s biota is entering a sixth “mass extinction” depends on clearly demonstrating that current extinction rates are far above the “background” rates prevailing between the five previous mass extinctions. Earlier estimates of extinction rates have been criticized for using assumptions that might overestimate the severity of the extinction crisis. We assess, using extremely conservative assumptions, whether human activities are causing a mass extinction. First, we use a recent estimate of a background rate of 2 mammal extinctions per 10,000 species per 100 years (that is, 2 E/MSY), which is twice as high as widely used previous estimates. We then compare this rate with the current rate of mammal and vertebrate extinctions. The latter is conservatively low because listing a species as extinct requires meeting stringent criteria. Even under our assumptions, which would tend to minimize evidence of an incipient mass extinction, the average rate of vertebrate species loss over the last century is up to 100 times higher than the background rate. Under the 2 E/MSY background rate, the number of species that have gone extinct in the last century would have taken, depending on the vertebrate taxon, between 800 and 10,000 years to disappear.” Accelerated modern human–induced species losses: Entering the sixth mass extinction.
I mentioned in the interview; “The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) simply blows out of the water anything else that’s been attempted in human history. As currently planned, it will involve some 7,000 separate infrastructure or extractive industry projects scattered across 70-odd nations, with a total price-tag of $8 trillion. It’ll span half the planet — from Asia to Africa, Europe and the South Pacific.”
It’s hard for me to think where the sand, let alone the energy for this project will come from,considering to all intents and purposes we have consumed the planets ‘construction sand’ already.China’s Global Infrastructure Initative Could Bring Environmental Catastrophe
Also mentioned was this quote from Joanna Macy:
“Because of social taboos, despair at the state of our world and fear for our future are rarely acknowledged. The suppression of despair, like that of any deep recurring response, contributes to the numbing of the psyche”. The Greatest Danger;
On a similar theme this great You Tube presentation from PaulBeckwith.net ” Human Decimation of Earths Creatures:”
I’ve embedded below another important discussion between Professors Paul Ehrlich and Guy McPherson titled: A Conversation with Paul Ehrlich
The collapse of the biosphere continues at pace
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-04-19/wild-bee-populations-new-england-collapse-90-study-warns?fbclid=IwAR1iydezo8JNPDPoajADp9hoT3ZTvZxgQeKqzFz3IkL4VjlAHRu16XVovnU
LikeLike
LikeLike
Paul Ehrlich and Guy Lane having a laugh at the edge of collapse;
LikeLike
The annihilation of nature, live and direct.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/flying-insects-numbers-drop-ecological-armageddon-75-per-cent-plummet-a8008406.html?fbclid=IwAR2ZF-6zbMLWcjP544rswNDJyq5Mz7raE_aAnOjQw1DDNZ7gBAR5UDUOkyk
LikeLike
Great documentary on the insect apocalypse;
https://topdocumentaryfilms.com/insect-apocalypse/?fbclid=IwAR32ylFd1GrYkvsav-13AsheaTNepWypv3-D4xrwH0fsfWH7zA2S2Jpn5Nc
LikeLike
Hence the annihilation of nature.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2017/10/30/a-dripping-wet-chemical-planet/?fbclid=IwAR2-2eGjk9EppAvtTeUDlWQrLXvch_IEvdhWd9v1NZdmOKlcT76nZHE4SuQ
LikeLike
LikeLike
“The lack of pollinating insects in some areas of fruit production in China has forced producers to pollinate their fruit trees by hand.”
“In these areas, the excessive use of pesticides and the lack of a natural habitat put an end to all the pollinators that inhabited the ecosystem.”
https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9107955/china-fruit-trees-pollinated-by-hand-due-to-a-lack-of-pollinating-insects/?fbclid=IwAR0_izVlCq9TBlLeDqtAqZe8nysp9-Ikefva3WcvVGkn5w20kwiBzUB1WBU
LikeLike
“Biodiversity loss is the very real end of the world and no one is acting like it”
https://massivesci.com/articles/climate-change-ipbes-global-assessment-biodiversity-loss-extinction/?fbclid=IwAR2AwuiuHabZqjaKZHldSTBs9Zl8KlyJVQRr7nR9ZzYlq-P__6O0WINv0Ic
LikeLike
DW comes to the extinction party.
https://m.dw.com/en/as-extinctions-loom-biodiversity-warnings-fail-to-resonate-with-governments-media/a-48819307?fbclid=IwAR2IS0RCDCCDvE4gtxFrUNDwewcEQplzRJgwmlC5ofDCywU0pXH9jGmE7ks
LikeLike
Mongabay are doing a series on the insect apocalypse, I’ll post the articles in this space as they are published;
https://news.mongabay.com/2019/06/the-great-insect-dying-a-global-look-at-a-deepening-crisis/?fbclid=IwAR2yFxE9D33GdAD5GLoDMKavekzRcQBJ9EyCaZ4-0qAfWbYL9qyRqAQ9ZZM
LikeLike
So long and thanks for all the food.
https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9107955/china-fruit-trees-pollinated-by-hand-due-to-a-lack-of-pollinating-insects/?fbclid=IwAR03F09U9yoUXaUH_66laA-M_B1G_X99DxpmyiX1m56GY56jf5FTPahTYaw
LikeLike
“Insects are disappearing in India, and we don’t even have data.”
https://india.mongabay.com/2019/06/insects-are-disappearing-in-india-and-we-dont-even-have-data/?fbclid=IwAR1MT3G5dSVkZ345Qw5Dm02o4-ASDQ-sH1nYM6rLFiwnC3CilVh6Y48IkHo
LikeLike
LikeLike
There’s no shortage of evidence to prove that we are undermining the fabric of the biosphere leading to collapse.
Like chipping away at the foundations of a building everything seems fine, then you hear a ‘cracking’ sound and then collapse unfolds.
I’ve been hearing the cracking sound for decades, brace for impact.
https://desdemonadespair.net/2019/07/insect-apocalypse-german-bug-watchers-sound-alarm-unless-we-change-our-ways-of-producing-food-insects-as-a-whole-will-go-down-the-path-of-extinction-in-a-few-decades.html?fbclid=IwAR3kpaCXQ9-ryNkl7iMZJP1Kk-L9L8XjW3hwQQJaRI82xd9YnEZC_c0CKwI
LikeLike
But wait, there’s always more;
https://sputniknews.com/science/201907011076115268-insects-dying-off-europe-apocalyptic-omen/?utm_source=adfox_site_41917&utm_medium=adfox_banner_3075328&utm_campaign=adfox_campaign_626010&ues=1&fbclid=IwAR2x402qyOTmsjzIJSX8nxN8O7P3LHkQtybsWLorVen4bh1smPlKQbjGrhI
LikeLike
“The decision to suspend data collection was not made lightly but was necessary given available fiscal and program resources,” said a department statement.”
They have trillions to spend on the military industrial complex and nothing for keeping the planet habitable.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/honey-bees-usda-data-collection-cut_n_5d22cbcee4b04c4814164f5f?fbclid=IwAR1BqER75Z-NWbnDgpWk1N96ChovZE8E5gVZ7XI-pCNY2_X2UPOnnLg8v3A
LikeLike
More evidence;
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/toxic-pesticides-are-driving-us-insect-apocalypse-study-warns-180972839/?fbclid=IwAR36XyEBd1e3Jy7rhDmjP7f1qoXsrPwSVAgq736eH5fYKNEUg-9iKbYi3nQ
LikeLike
I suspect the title of this article is derived from the book and peer reviewed paper written by Paul Ehrlich and Geraldo Ceballos which I covered on Nature Bats Last.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2019/09/18/biological-annihilation-the-danger-of-opening-alaskas-anwr-to-oil-gas-drilling/
LikeLike
Just the annihilation of nature live and direct in broad daylight.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-09-20/birds-collapse-us-bees-ecology-environment/11520008?fbclid=IwAR0K6WPgnb6zYYbJMrMT8oUUHvtHTltZ0WPsdZnC_RRVIG7n6mTDujwJxuY
LikeLike
Worse than previously thought! sigh.
https://www.tum.de/nc/en/about-tum/news/press-releases/details/35769?fbclid=IwAR3hlfZCyYQm5d1yEQLivYtbpj4V-Aa1LOpzCEpaOjPOEbgkhKUZlyXwNas
LikeLike
Another contributor to the annihilation.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/environment/light-pollution-is-key-bringer-of-insect-apocalypse/ar-BBX9YQB?MSCC=1574437997&ocid=spartandhp&fbclid=IwAR38s7vGVFQStlai_zOykYNE2cGY3itFJC0_RKBZJd7y6JLSPeV9-E712t4
LikeLike
Desperate measures at the edge of extinction.
https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9107955/china-fruit-trees-pollinated-by-hand-due-to-a-lack-of-pollinating-insects/?fbclid=IwAR2052vYjHN9aSdHmo7Ki3PdOrcPJ4rvgd9Mdf7CX-ZeJxcigMJYT6YASRg
LikeLike
When I was a young fella I remember ‘Blizzards of moths’ at streetlights at night.
I had to wash the front bumper, headlights and windscreen of my mums car if she drove at night.
“Young people can’t remember how much more wildlife there used to be
Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2226898-young-people-cant-remember-how-much-more-wildlife-there-used-to-be/#ixzz68cuyuBK6
LikeLike
400,000 Insect Species Face Extinction
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/animals/a29801616/insect-species-extinction/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=socialflowFBPOP&fbclid=IwAR1dCe2wP6JjxFvEILhT0sNx6y8nz9QQF_-OeGxbIMCWm2MyS-PowACK0OQ
LikeLike
More evidence;
https://news.wttw.com/2019/10/02/fearing-insect-apocalypse-renowned-entomologist-says-get-rid-your-lawn?fbclid=IwAR3E1k4MiEsGUoQ4GU0OgIWacG6sxRFWc2vSJjrSnWVoSmLZqf_BJahWC1s
LikeLike
No bugs, no birds.
Rachel Carson warned us.
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/birds-disappearing-in-north-america-2020-1?fbclid=IwAR3n6Gv3h7mPVr9BSOWDUfyEjDqIhHp_zooklsf9vZXwy8ggSn2mQuUdlTI&r=US&IR=T
LikeLike
Professor Paul Ehrlich, Professor Guy McPherson and myself will be discussing this aspect of collapse on Nature Bats Last on PRN.FM on Feb’ 4th 3pm EST. The episode can be found after broadcast at the NBL archive.
The situation is always worse than we think. If anyone finds the “Precautionary Principle” lying around can they send it to the IPCC for me please?
https://conservationbytes.com/2020/01/24/the-state-of-global-biodiversity-its-worse-than-you-probably-think/?fbclid=IwAR2sYnLpi283zJEaRptvvBB0dYwdr3-BLDc7LPsutdYskPGp1nIr5jlbIn0
LikeLike
LikeLike
The evidence naturally builds.
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/whats-happening-michigans-insects-farmers-tale?fbclid=IwAR1j1W4ga6GYdaylC6fgSbwVoeUVN3PJdOHuPdXmY7r3aqy6lclF-HTWkL0
LikeLike
Professor Paul Ehrlich has just been interviewed by Michael Dowd in his superb series titled “Post Doom”.
LikeLike
They get it wrong at many levels;
“But the low numbers – down 34% on 2019 and worse than the dire wet summer of 2012 – may not be as bad as they appear because a record-breaking sunny spring caused many butterfly species to emerge earlier and complete their adult lifecycle before the count began on 17 July.”
The seasons are completely fucked up and the Guardian makes it sound like a good thing ffs.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/sep/28/record-low-number-british-butterflies-baffles-scientists-annua-big-butterfly-count?fbclid=IwAR1SWlpWFDpKlT0nh_TDeLZA2MGEdan7IJFcSh2H-sp8a50hJ6U5ii1juYw
LikeLike
“At any given moment, it’s been estimated, there are 10 quintillion insects flying, crawling, hovering, marching, burrowing, and swimming around. In terms of variety, the numbers are equally impressive: Something like 80 percent of all the different kinds of animals are insects.”
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/05/where-have-all-the-insects-gone-feature/?fbclid=IwAR14AQAGxKjr-ZBQ2EcefxlatwQI_RVlU81HnfJVq0XWUOwBVe5twrZzJZg
LikeLike
Slip sliding away;
https://baynature.org/2020/12/04/with-fewer-than-2000-butterflies-counted-western-monarch-takes-an-astonishing-step-closer-to-extinction/?fbclid=IwAR1GgGkCNOwOtUN_-otB7XIFW6bywqz71c2Tre_KN4YNUUGfn4qXr7-FCII
LikeLike
LikeLike
LikeLike
LikeLike
Paul’s latest;
https://earthx.org/earthxondemand/?_sft_essential_grid_category=population-factor#init-video-3
LikeLike
Common Dreams chimes in on the collapse of the insect populations:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/01/12/nature-under-siege-scientists-sound-alarm-about-insect-apocalypse?utm_campaign=echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2UuFjYTYNRcSh7NlwWkT57zhrU3Iq2IxkPmm3COpfjYFlTIkh3bHQqeoA#Echobox=1610477616
LikeLike