Prof Horton on new UN GEO report in the Straits Times: Despite prosperity, Singapore not isolated from environmental problems in the region
The effects of human-induced environmental change around South-east Asia do not recognize human borders, and it is inevitable that environmental problems in neighboring countries, such as peat burning, will impact air quality and human well-being in Singapore. This point, made by Professor Benjamin Horton to the Straits Times, is in light of the recent United Nations sixth Global Environment Outlook (GEO) Report.
Healthy planet, healthy people is the message from the report, which “calls on decision makers to take immediate action to address pressing environmental issues to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals as well as other Internationally Agreed Environment Goals, such as the Paris Agreement”.
Among many other things, the report states that air pollution is currently causing 6 – 7 million premature deaths per year, and the that adverse effects of marine plastic litter, now found at all levels of marine ecosystems, will likely impact human health through consumption of fish and seafood. Biodiversity loss, caused by land use change, habitat fragmentation, overexploitation, wildlife trade etc. is driving a mass extinction of species that compromises the Earth’s capacity to meet human needs.
Read the Straits Times article here
Links to the full GEO report or a summary of its key messages