Our planet is on the verge of a sixth mass extinction, according to joint research by Stanford University and the National Autonomous University of Mexico published in June 2015. This is a bold and momentous statement considering that the last mass extinction occurred 65 million years ago and was caused by an asteroid hitting the Earth. This resulted in giant tsunamis, powerful earthquakes and acid rain that obliterated 70% of all species over the following 33,000 years. This time human interference with the world’s ecosystems will be the major catalyst. Unless rapid action is taken to restore habitats, save threatened species and reduce carbon emissions, the resulting loss in biodiversity will significantly impact human life in as little as three generations.
The current rate of species extinction is unprecedented in human history. A conservative estimate is that 468 vertebrates, spread among mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, have become extinct over the last 100 years. The research found that under normal geological conditions, this would have taken 11,400 years. Concurrently, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, consultant for the United Nations and managers of ‘Red List of Threatened Species,’ calculate that 41% of all amphibians and 26% of all mammals are under serious threat today.
The Sixth Extinction – The Holocene
Species are disappearing at 100 times the normal rate documented between the previous five mass extinctions, causing an unprecedented loss of biodiversity today. As the human population is now expected to rise to 11 billion by 2100, matched by a drastic increase in per capita energy and food consumption, the demand on our resources is altering and destroying our natural habitats. As species disappear permanently, so do crucial natural systems such as honeybees’ crop pollination and wetlands’ water purification. Due to our dependence on these natural services for our food, climate and health (75% of medicines used today are derived from plant and animal compounds), mankind’s very existence is under threat. If species extinction continues at the rate of the last century, life on the planet will take millions of years to recover.
The major culprits include a warming climate that has acidified our oceans, toxins from carbon emissions polluting the environment and the widespread use of synthetic agrochemicals that poison the ecosystem. All are consequences of the mounting pressure of a rising population which has expanded almost seven-fold to 7.3 billion in little over 200 years (and is likely to still be growing by the end of this century). According to Professor Paul Elhrich, Senior Fellow at Stanford University, “avoiding a true sixth mass extinction will require rapid, greatly intensified efforts to conserve already threatened species, and to alleviate pressure on their population.” Although the window is closing, there is still opportunity to alleviate the issue.
One solution will be the refinement of last century’s Green Revolution in Agriculture, which saved an estimated 1 billion people from starvation. Improved agronomy and the development of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides saw wheat yields increase from 2 to 6 metric tons per hectare in the 40 years after the Industrial Revolution, whereas it took the preceding 1,000 years for yields to increase from 0.5 to 2 metric tons per hectare. A great success at meeting a major threat to the survival of the global population of the time, the Green Revolution greatly increased food productivity and decreased poverty levels across the globe. However, the cost and permanency of their effects are only just being understood.
Productivity Improvements Exhausted – Global Yields Now in Decline
The synthetic agrochemicals that once saved us must now be viewed as a threat, harming the environment by reducing biodiversity and leaving farmland barren and vulnerable to erosion. Mankind can no longer afford to pollute the water, damage the soil and compromise our immune systems by overusing antibiotics. Satisfying these needs in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way is a requirement for our own survival, and is at the foundation of our business strategy.
Reflecting mankind’s need for survival, our very own Primal Investment Strategy is alert to the dangers of mankind’s rapacious appetite and is promoting solutions required for a sustainable future, while also delivering strong financial returns in today’s demanding market environment. Our latest project in neem adheres to this strategy, as the tree is a fast growing, nontoxic and natural alternative to synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Neem even serves as an antibacterial agent that eases the proliferation of antibiotic use in livestock. While able to thrive in difficult environmental conditions, the tree also has a wide variety of commercial applications across the healthcare and cosmetic sectors. By shaping a sustainable source of food, while meeting the massive consumer demand for healthy lifestyles, neem is a natural solution that must be considered in solving mankind’s most primary needs.