The 6th Great Extinction - Anthropocene

Human activity is killing nature at an unprecedented rate. We are now experiencing the consequences in the form of a possible sixth mass extinction.

A mass extinction is a period of geological time in which a high percentage of biodiversity, or distinct species — bacteria, viruses, fungi, plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates — dies out.  The earth has experienced five previous mass extinction events, the last occurring 65.5 million years ago. Experts now believe we’re in the midst of a sixth mass extinction.

Unlike previous extinction events caused by natural phenomena, the sixth mass extinction is driven by human activity, mainly the unsustainable use of land, water and energy, and climate change. Currently, 40% of all land has been converted for food production. Agriculture is also responsible for 90% of global deforestation and accounts for 70% of the planet’s freshwater use, devastating the species that inhabit those places by significantly altering their habitats. Where and how food is produced is one of the biggest human-caused threats to species extinction and our ecosystems. 

The intertwined relationships among the food system, climate change, and biodiversity loss place immense pressure on our planet. Unsustainable food production and consumption contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions causing atmospheric and sea temperature rise. The climate crisis is causing severe droughts as well as more frequent and intense storms. The challenges associated with food production that stress species, while creating conditions that make their habitats inhospitable, are mounting, making it more difficult to maintain crops and produce sufficient food. 

The earth has suffered five previous mass extinction events:

• The Ordovician-Silurian mass extinction occurred 443 million years ago and wiped out approximately 85% of all species. 
• The Devonian mass extinction event took place 374 million years ago and killed about three-quarters of the world's species.
• The Permian-Triassic mass extinction happened 250 million years ago and was the largest and most devastating event of the five. It eradicated more than 95% of all species, including most of the vertebrates which had begun to evolve.
• The Triassic mass extinction event 200 million years ago eliminated about 80% of Earth's species, including many types of dinosaurs.
• The Cretaceous mass extinction event occurred 66 million years ago, killing 78% of all species, including the remaining non-avian dinosaurs. 

Although they do not know for certain, scientists speculate that previous mass extinctions were caused by intense geological activity, huge volcanic eruptions, asteroids hitting the earth, and extreme temperature changes. 

Natural extinction occurs over hundreds and thousands of years which allows nature to slowly replace what has been lost. So climate change is nothing new. 

But humans have sped up this process. Ancient, or paleoclimate, evidence reveals that current warming is occurring roughly 10 times faster than the average rate of warming after an ice age. Carbon dioxide from human activities is increasing about 250 times faster than it did from natural sources after the last Ice Age. Never before has a single species been responsible for such destruction on Earth. Some scientists believe we are definitely going through a sixth mass extinction. 

Buckle your seat belts, we're in for a bumpy ride.