Evizda

With no region of the Earth untouched by the ravages of environmental destruction, the state of the world’s natural resources is in a rapid downward spiral, a comprehensive assessment by the United Nations has found.

Published Thursday, Global Environmental Outlook from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) involved the expertise of more than 1,200 scientists and over 160 governments, and exposes through reports on each of the world’s six regions that the rate of environmental deterioration is occurring faster than previously thought—and can only be halted with swift action.

“It is essential that we understand the pace of environmental change that is upon us,” stated UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

One threat many of the world’s inhabitants are facing is that of water scarcity.  For North America (pdf), for example, it “is of increasing concern,” though it’s just one of many “worsening pressures.”

The report points to the recent five-year drought around Texas—a problem exacerbated by climate change. It also notes how the impacts of climate change were vividly felt when Hurricane Sandy struck in 2012. 

“The 30 centimeters of sea level rise off New York City since 1900 likely expanded Hurricane Sandy’s flood area by approximately 65 square kilometers, flooding the homes of more than 80 000 additional people in New York and New Jersey alone,” UNEP states, adding: “Climate change is generating impacts across the region, and aggressive hydrocarbon extraction methods bring the possibility of increased emissions, water use and induced seismicity. The coastal and marine environment is under increasing threat from nutrient loads, ocean acidification, ocean warming, sea level rise, and new forms of marine debris.”

And even with successful efforts to rein in carbon emissions, the outlook for the region isn’t bright, the report notes: