If you are a pessimist by nature, avoid reading this since it brings you a black scenario for the future – an overpopulated planet, with dependent megacities of foods that come from increasingly polluted regions with very high levels of food insecurity.

This planet will likely be far from what it actually will become. But this parallel reality is nonetheless a ghost in the overall developments, the appearance of which is only dependent on us – and how we manage our own survival and link good environmental practices.

1.We live in a warm century

Thirteen of the 14 warmest years in recorded history occurred in the XXI century. The year 2013 was the sixth warmest since modern records began in 1850, according to data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The annual record are 2010 and 2005, with global temperatures about 0.55 ° C above average.

 

2. The soil is getting worse

The degradation and desertification threaten the fertile lands in the world, with alarming consequences: food insecurity, poverty, water scarcity and increased vulnerability to climate change. According to the researches 24% of productive land in the world is degraded, while 168 countries suffering from desertification.

 

3.The marine life is stifling

Currently, there are about 500 dead zones in the world, covering more than 245,000 square kilometers, almost the entire surface of the United Kingdom which is a huge problem. These are coastal areas where marine life was almost choked by pollution.

 

4.We breathe bad air and it is getting worse

Air pollution in large cities has achieved nothing safe levels for human health. Only 12% of all people on the planet breathe an air of good quality, according to a recent study by the World Health Organization (WHO).

 

5.Diarreia kills a child every 20 seconds

Every 20 seconds a child dies from diseases linked to diarrhea, largely preventable with proper sanitation, improved hygiene and access to safe water. Every year, 3.5 million people worldwide die from problems related to inadequate water supply, poor sanitation and lack of hygiene policies, according to the UN.

 

6. Ground water also kills

In addition to air pollution, China is facing another silent environmental crisis and often invisible: the contamination of groundwater. Almost 60% of them are polluted, according to state study released by Xinhua. The groundwater quality was rated as relatively low in 43.9% of the regions analyzed and very bad in other 15.7%.