“It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred.” - UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity, or anthropogenic emissions, are the fundamental cause of global climate change. According to the IPCC’s latest report, the “combined effects of human activity have already increased the global average temperature by about 1.1°C above the late 19th-century average.” In order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, the Glasgow Pact officially recognized that emissions have to be reduced by at least 45% by 20.
Climate Change
Unsustainable Material Resource System
Our global, single-use material resource system is one of the root causes of environmental degradation. The way humans currently extract, process, produce, consume and dispose of materials and waste must change immediately.
Our global material resource system is predicated on the extraction, production, use, and disposal of single use materials. In fact, less than 9% of materials are reused. This system was workable when material use was relatively low, but material use is growing at an unsustainable rate. During the 20th century, global material use increased from 7 billion to 49 billion tons (“MT”) per year – a seven-fold increase. If current material use patterns persist, material usage will increase to 350 billion MT per year by end of the century1 – once again, a seven-fold increase in material utilization.
The rate of environmental degradation is staggering. In order to avoid the worst impacts of biological degeneration, we have to completely transform the way we view our natural world.
The impacts of human activity are indisputable. Globally, 75% of arable land is “substantially degraded” by at least one form of degradation, such as aridity, vegetation decline, soil salinization and loss of soil carbon. If current rates continue, this number could grow to 95% by 2050. In addition, 66% of ocean ecosystems are damaged, degraded or modified.
The world’s ecosystems are under acute pressure including the loss of approximately 10 million hectares of forest each year, a 600% increase in freshwater usage over the past 100 years, the transformation of 70% of grasslands and 50% of savannahs into agriculture, the loss of 20-30% of mangrove and seagrass ecosystems and a 14% loss in coral reefs in just the last ten years.
Environmental Degradation
Human Health
Climate change is the greatest threat to human health.
The impacts of our material resource system, degradation of natural ecosystems and changes in global temperatures have severely impacted the health of populations around the world. Increasing temperatures have led some to estimate that climate change could displace 1.2 billion people by 2050.
However, the impacts are not limited to just climate change. Globally, air pollution accounts for about seven million premature deaths a year, 700 million people will face severe water shortages by 2030 and approximately 250,000 deaths may occur due to malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress related to environmental degradation.
“It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred.” - UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity, or anthropogenic emissions, are the fundamental cause of global climate change. According to the IPCC’s latest report, the “combined effects of human activity have already increased the global average temperature by about 1.1°C above the late 19th-century average.” In order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, the Glasgow Pact officially recognized that emissions have to be reduced by at least 45% by 20.
Climate Change
Unsustainable Material Resource System
Our global, single-use material resource system is one of the root causes of environmental degradation. The way humans currently extract, process, produce, consume and dispose of materials and waste must change immediately.
Our global material resource system is predicated on the extraction, production, use, and disposal of single use materials. In fact, less than 9% of materials are reused. This system was workable when material use was relatively low, but material use is growing at an unsustainable rate. During the 20th century, global material use increased from 7 billion to 49 billion tons (“MT”) per year – a seven-fold increase. If current material use patterns persist, material usage will increase to 350 billion MT per year by end of the century1 – once again, a seven-fold increase in material utilization.
The rate of environmental degradation is staggering. In order to avoid the worst impacts of biological degeneration, we have to completely transform the way we view our natural world.
The impacts of human activity are indisputable. Globally, 75% of arable land is “substantially degraded” by at least one form of degradation, such as aridity, vegetation decline, soil salinization and loss of soil carbon. If current rates continue, this number could grow to 95% by 2050. In addition, 66% of ocean ecosystems are damaged, degraded or modified.
The world’s ecosystems are under acute pressure including the loss of approximately 10 million hectares of forest each year, a 600% increase in freshwater usage over the past 100 years, the transformation of 70% of grasslands and 50% of savannahs into agriculture, the loss of 20-30% of mangrove and seagrass ecosystems and a 14% loss in coral reefs in just the last ten years.
Environmental Degradation
Human Health
Climate change is the greatest threat to human health.
The impacts of our material resource system, degradation of natural ecosystems and changes in global temperatures have severely impacted the health of populations around the world. Increasing temperatures have led some to estimate that climate change could displace 1.2 billion people by 2050.
However, the impacts are not limited to just climate change. Globally, air pollution accounts for about seven million premature deaths a year, 700 million people will face severe water shortages by 2030 and approximately 250,000 deaths may occur due to malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress related to environmental degradation.
“It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere have occurred.” - UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity, or anthropogenic emissions, are the fundamental cause of global climate change. According to the IPCC’s latest report, the “combined effects of human activity have already increased the global average temperature by about 1.1°C above the late 19th-century average.” In order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, the Glasgow Pact officially recognized that emissions have to be reduced by at least 45% by 20.
Climate Change
Unsustainable Material Resource System
Our global, single-use material resource system is one of the root causes of environmental degradation. The way humans currently extract, process, produce, consume and dispose of materials and waste must change immediately.
Our global material resource system is predicated on the extraction, production, use, and disposal of single use materials. In fact, less than 9% of materials are reused. This system was workable when material use was relatively low, but material use is growing at an unsustainable rate. During the 20th century, global material use increased from 7 billion to 49 billion tons (“MT”) per year – a seven-fold increase. If current material use patterns persist, material usage will increase to 350 billion MT per year by end of the century1 – once again, a seven-fold increase in material utilization.
The rate of environmental degradation is staggering. In order to avoid the worst impacts of biological degeneration, we have to completely transform the way we view our natural world.
The impacts of human activity are indisputable. Globally, 75% of arable land is “substantially degraded” by at least one form of degradation, such as aridity, vegetation decline, soil salinization and loss of soil carbon. If current rates continue, this number could grow to 95% by 2050. In addition, 66% of ocean ecosystems are damaged, degraded or modified.
The world’s ecosystems are under acute pressure including the loss of approximately 10 million hectares of forest each year, a 600% increase in freshwater usage over the past 100 years, the transformation of 70% of grasslands and 50% of savannahs into agriculture, the loss of 20-30% of mangrove and seagrass ecosystems and a 14% loss in coral reefs in just the last ten years.
Environmental Degradation
Human Health
Climate change is the greatest threat to human health.
The impacts of our material resource system, degradation of natural ecosystems and changes in global temperatures have severely impacted the health of populations around the world. Increasing temperatures have led some to estimate that climate change could displace 1.2 billion people by 2050.
However, the impacts are not limited to just climate change. Globally, air pollution accounts for about seven million premature deaths a year, 700 million people will face severe water shortages by 2030 and approximately 250,000 deaths may occur due to malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress related to environmental degradation.
Paul Geessinck
Technology Lead, Waste Solutions
Paul is the lead engineer for Humankind Biomass Systems. Paul works closely with Klaas Hostra to execute the testing, design and engineering and project management processes for HKB’s projects. Prior to HKB, Paul worked extensively in the European waste to energy industry holding positions as Redox Water Technologies, Schneider B.V., Ingenieursbureau, AquaTech, Colubris Cleantech and GES Engineering.
Paul holds a bachelor’s degree from Saxion University of Applied Sciences. Paul resides in the Netherlands.