Humankind has altered 97% of Earth’s biologically richest regions

Researchers at the James Cook University studied the ecological effect of humans on the planet and found that around 97% of Earth’s biologically richest regions have ecological footprints of humankind. Using information collected through surveys and data collected from remote sensing devices, the researchers analyzed the extent of human activity on the planet and its effect over time. They observed that there were few areas that have escaped human activities, and rainforests were damaged the most by humans. “Humans are the most voracious consumers planet Earth has ever seen. With our land-use, hunting and other exploitative activities, we are now directly impacting three-quarters of the Earth’s land surface,” said Professor Laurance, one of the researchers who conducted the study. The only silver lining in the findings is that compared to a similarly assembled report in 1993, human footprint has expanded only by 9%. As measures to control the damage, the researchers suggest that developing nations should control their population, and developed nations should decrease their consumption.

Read more in Science Daily.