The constant sound of cities is harmful to our health. This is one conclusion. UN report published Thursday.
According to the UN, people all over the world, from Barcelona and Cario, to New York, are at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease due to the constant roaring of traffic, construction sites, and other sources noise pollution. environment programme.
Noise pollution: Cities that don’t sleep
Europe alone is home to 48,0000 cases per year of heart disease and 12,000 premature deaths each year.
Birds are among the most severely affected animals in the animal world. Zebra finches, tree sparrows and tits are singing louder or adjusting their frequency so they can communicate with each other over the clamor. This is causing more misunderstandings between birds, which can lead to fewer males finding a mate. Their new songs aren’t always well received.
According to the, it could be beneficial to plant more trees and shrubbery in cities. report’s authors. The use of plants would disperse and soften noise while improving the climate and urban environment. For example, a line of trees planted behind a noise barrier wall can reduce noise levels by approximately 12 decibels.
According to researchers, cyclists would benefit from more space.
You can also reduce traffic noise by increasing cycleways and reducing the number of car lanes. Green zones in cities could encourage quieter electric vehicles, and improve air quality.
Natural disaster The rhythms
Migratory birds are no longer flying south in the winter, plants are blooming much earlier, and birds are building nests for their young earlier when there are not enough insects around to feed them.
Climate change is not just increasing global average temperatures, it’s also disrupting life cycles established over thousands of years. These changes are affecting all kinds of habitats from mountain areas and coastal regions to forests and grasslands.
Animal and plant species are unable to adapt at the rate at which the planet heats, increasing the risk that whole ecosystems on land or in the oceans could collapse with unanticipated consequences for humanity.
Migratory birds are one of the species that are affected by shifting seasons
We must reduce emissions quickly and drastically to slow climate change. But to deal with changes to life cycles, the researchers say it’s essential to actively protect species, restore ecosystems and connect habitats by creating wildlife corridors. This is the only way to ensure that species’ gene pools remain intact and that they have the chance to adapt to new conditions through natural selection.
Fighting fire with fire
WildfiresThey are a natural part in many environments, but longer and more extreme heatwaves as well as droughts are prolonging fire seasons which can increase the chance of fires starting.
Last year, huge areas of forest were destroyed by fires in California, Siberia, Turkey, and Australia. These fires also released large amounts of pollutants like soot, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases, which significantly impacted the air quality in nearby towns. Wildfires can also lead to water pollution, marine eutrophication, and loss of biodiversity.
Globally, fires related to climate change are becoming more common
According to UN authors, there are some precautionary steps that could be taken to help reduce wildfires. Better cooperation between neighboring regions, satellite monitoring, lightning Improved early warning systems and firefighting capability could all help.
Experts recommend traditional fire fighting methods. Because it uses all available fuel, controlled burning of bush or forest creates a barrier against an oncoming forest fire. Fires can be beneficial in certain ecosystems because some plants and flowers grow only when their seeds are heated by burning.
This article was originally published in German
