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26.04.2012 Science

Malfunctioning ecosystems to trigger tipping points

26.04.2012 LISTEN
By GNA

From Anthony Bells Kafui Kanyi, GNA Special Correspondent, Stockholm –Sweden (Courtesy, Sweden Institute, Swedish Embassy-Abuja)

Stockholm (Sweden), April 26, GNA - Stakeholders at an international conference on environment and development in Stockholm, Sweden on Wednesday noted that climate change, depletion of biological diversity and malfunctioning ecosystem risked triggering “tipping points”.

This, they said would lead to abrupt and irreversible consequences for human communities and ecological systems.

The conference therefore called for “catalysing fundamental” transformation in all spheres and scales to bend the curves of negative global environmental change and bring sustainability into the 21Century.

This was contained in a statement made available to the Ghana News Agency in Stockholm after the official opening of the Conference christened: “Stockholm+40.”

The Conference serve as a prelude to Rio+20 scheduled for Brazil later in the year and commemorates UN Conference on Human Environment held in 1972 in Stockholm.

“Science indicates that we are transgressing planetary boundaries that have kept civilization safe for the past 10,000 years,” it stated.

The statement said business as usual was therefore no longer an option and called for new path towards sustainable production, innovation and living.

It emphasised the need for every country to opt for “green economy,” which would ensure growth while protecting the earth's ecosystems and the eradication of poverty.

The statement said sustainable development could not be achieved through an urge for immediate rewards or a narrow focus on national interest and urged individuals and institutions to reduce pressures on the environment.

GNA

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