Ecological Imperatives: Mobilizing for Earth’s Survival

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Jenyfer Maria Fuentes Mendoza, a medical student from Lima, Peru. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

The concept of the Ecological Footprint, introduced by William Rees and Mathis Wackernagel in 1996, serves to quantify humanity’s environmental impact. As defined by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (2017), it functions as a tool to assess the land and sea area necessary for resource production and waste absorption, utilizing current technological standards. Consequently, it emerges as a valuable instrument for evaluating the ecological footprint of human activities.

Undoubtedly, this tool plays a pivotal role in raising awareness about the urgent need to mitigate CO2 emissions. Moreover, it sheds light on the extent of damage inflicted upon the planet, thereby enabling efforts to mitigate or reverse these detrimental effects.

Furthermore, ocean acidification is related to these goals, specifically to goal number fourteen, to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources, meaning it is linked to marine life. Likewise, this takes into account acidification as a problem that affects and harms both biodiversity and ecosystems as well as fisheries. According to the United Nations (2019), one of the goals of this objective is to “minimize and address the effects of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels.” In this sense, goal fourteen for Sustainable Development is committed to addressing and reducing the effects of this problem. Furthermore, according to the organization Aid in Action (2019), it mentions that “working towards a sustainable future necessarily involves ensuring efficient management of underwater life, as pursued by SDG 14.” Therefore, to fulfill this goal, it is necessary for everyone to contribute.

To prevent the loss of reefs, and essentially prevent a climate crisis, we must reduce atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide below 350 ppm. Unfortunately, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has already exceeded this risk level, surpassed 385 ppm and continued to rise. This level is not only too high to protect the planet’s reefs, but also well above what has been in all of human history. In fact, as far as scientists have been able to determine (800,000 years), the level of CO2 had not exceeded 300 ppm.

We have already exceeded the risk zone and the reefs are beginning to decline. With current levels of carbon dioxide, it is unlikely that reefs can survive. However, if we continue with current emissions, reefs could surpass the critical phase, probably near 450 ppm, after which the reefs, as we know them, would be exceptional or simply nonexistent. Once this critical phase is exceeded, the reefs will decline rapidly, at least half of the life associated with corals will be exceptional or extinct, and the services that reefs provide to millions of people will stop. Shortly thereafter, reef ecosystems may collapse, leaving only a few limestone corals. Because reefs take decades or even centuries to form, once the damage occurs, the impact will be irreversible for generations.

About the author

Ms. Jenyfer Maria Fuentes Mendoza is a medical student from Lima, Peru