There are many environmental concerns faced by human race. These concerns are defined as the environmental problems that directly or indirectly affect human beings. There is need therefore to work on these environmental problems with an aim of reducing their impacts. Climate change is one of the major concern facing human beings globally.
Ozone layer depletion and loss of biodiversity have also negatively affected human race thus calling for strategies to combat these environmental issues. Other environmental concerns are in reverence to land degradation, pollution among others. The following discussion is inclusive of the first three concerns.
Ozone layer depletion occurring at the stratosphere which contains the ozone gas, has led to direct ultra-violet rays reaching the earth surface. Oxygen molecules present in the stratosphere absorbs ultraviolet waves which are harmful.
The depletion of ozone layer occurs when the gas is broken down by increased chlorine compounds in the atmosphere which are man-made and also the bromine compounds. The direct reach of ultraviolet (UV) rays to human beings has increased diseases such skin cancer and eye problems.
There has also been an increase in infectious diseases. Ultra violet rays also causes drying up plants which are the major primary source of food to humans (Díez & Dwivedi, 2008). UV rays affect the aquatic life such as fish which are also source of food to human beings.
Climate change is the change in temperatures either by increase or decrease. The increase of temperature which has led to global warming is the major concern facing human beings on climate change.
Anthropogenic activities are however the major cause of climate change on global warming out of increased deforestation by the increasing population, increased release of fossil fuel and the green house gases such as chlorofluorocarbons which increases green house effect.
The further implications to human beings is the increase in sea levels which causes flooding thus loss of human lives, displacements and loss of properties. There is also decrease in water resources due to changes in evaporation thus lowering the agricultural output. Human beings are then faced by food shortages leading to hunger, nutritional diseases, and deaths.
Loss of biodiversity which is the decrease of species in ecosystems is also among the major concern faced by human race. Human beings are the major cause of loss of biodiversity through habitat destruction such as clearing of forest cover, burning of bush which kills the active micro organisms in the soil, and dumping of wastes in water resources which endanger aquatic life.
Biodiversity promotes better lives to human beings such as: ecosystem services through climate stability a role played by trees, soil formation by micro-organisms.
Loss of biodiversity is also inclusive of decrease of biological resources to human like plants which are source of food and medicines. Sociological benefits are also lost as the biodiversity is used by humans for education, recreation, and cultural values (Díez & Dwivedi, 2008).
In conclusion, human beings are the major contributors of the environmental issues which have raised the concerns. There is however natural factors which have lead to environmental concerns but their impact is too minimal compared to those caused by human beings. Human race is therefore faced with the challenge of reducing the environmental issues.
On climate change, there is need to practice reforestation, use electric, solar and wind energy to replace the fossil fuels thus reducing the green house effect. On ozone layer depletion just like climate change, there is need to reduce the release of carbons such as chlorofluorocarbons.
It is also important for humans to protect the existing species like reducing the dumping of untreated waste in water resources and clearing of forest at the same time opting for better farming methods other than burning (Rourke, 2008).
References
Díez, J., & Dwivedi, P. (2008). Global Environmental Challenges: Perspectives from the South. New York: Broadview Press.
Rourke, J. T. (2008). International Politics on the World Stage. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.