Laurance, Bill, and Ehrlich, Paul (2016) Radical overhaul needed to halt Earth's sixth great extinction event. The Conversation, 9 November 2016. pp. 1-6.

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Abstract

Life has existed on Earth for roughly 3.7 billion years. During that time we know of five mass extinction events — dramatic episodes when many, if not most, life forms vanished in a geological heartbeat. The most recent of these was the global calamity that claimed the dinosaurs and myriad other species around 66 million years ago.

Growing numbers of scientists have asserted that our planet might soon see a sixth massive extinction — one driven by the escalating impacts of humanity. Others, such as the Swedish economist Bjørn Lomborg, have characterised such claims as ill-informed fearmongering.

We argue emphatically that the jury is in and the debate is over: Earth's sixth great extinction has arrived.

Item ID:	46322
Item Type:	Article (Commentary)
Keywords:	biodiversity, extinction crisis, human overpopulation, mass extinction,overconsumption, species loss
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Date Deposited:	14 Nov 2016 02:07
FoR Codes:	05 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 0502 Environmental Science and Management > 050202 Conservation and Biodiversity @ 100%
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960899 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity of Environments not elsewhere classified @ 100%
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