In another notable global participation of Argentinian science, the National University of La Plata (UNLP) was part of the international team that prepared the GEO-7 environmental report of the UN Environment Programme.
In particular, the work of Dr. Sandra Torrusio, Secretary of Research at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Museum of the UNLP, stands out.
The professional was part of the 287 scientists from 82 countries who worked for three years on this global environmental assessment.
The report titled Global Environment Outlook: A Future We Choose reveals a crucial choice for humanity.
Continue on a path of degradation or invest in planetary health to ensure massive economic and social benefits.
Along with Torrusio, three other Argentinian scientists participated:
- Dr. Karina Miglioranza from the National University of Mar del Plata;
- Dr. Patricia Macagno from the National University of Moreno, and;
- Dr. Leila Devia from the National University of Buenos Aires.
An environmental crisis with million-dollar costs
The GEO-7 highlights that environmental degradation already claims millions of lives and costs billions of dollars annually.
Climate change, loss of biodiversity, land degradation, desertification, and pollution drive this crisis.
The economic cost of health damages from air pollution reached approximately US$ 8.1 trillion in 2019.
This figure is equivalent to 6.1% of the global GDP, according to the document.
Another alarming fact is that between 20% and 40% of the world’s land surface is degraded, a situation affecting more than three billion people worldwide.
Thus, the report concludes that if the “business as usual” model continues, the increase in global temperature will likely exceed 1.5°C by the early 2030s.
This would imply a 4% reduction in global GDP by 2025 due to climate change.
The contribution of the UNLP to the UN environmental report
The contribution of the researcher from the UNLP focused mainly on the last chapter of the report: “Driving the Transformations”.
The concepts of co-design along with the multiplicity of actors to achieve sustainable solutions allowed reaching the final key messages.
“A transformation is necessary for the planet and its people, it is no longer enough to go through periods of transition, transformation is needed and at an accelerated pace,” the document states.
The recommendations include changing barriers into opportunities and identifying agents of change in each region.
Also, promoting behavioral changes from individuals to society and governments.
In addition to promoting regional and international agreements with environmental, social, and economic objectives.
Projected solutions and benefits
The report presents two paths of transformation based on behavioral changes or technological advances.
Approaches involving the whole society and government to transform key systems could generate global macroeconomic benefits of US$ 20 trillion per year by 2070.
Among the projected social benefits are:
- Nine million premature deaths could be avoided by 2050 by reducing air pollution
- Nearly 200 million people could escape malnutrition by 2050
- More than 100 million people could escape extreme poverty by 2050
To achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and ensure adequate funding for conservation and biodiversity restoration, an annual investment of approximately US$ 8 trillion is required until 2050.
The GEO-7 promotes radical transformations in five key areas:
- economy and finance;
- materials and waste;
- energy; food systems, and;
- environment.
The work emphasizes that considering diverse knowledge systems, including local and indigenous knowledge, is vital to achieve just transitions that address human well-being and environmental sustainability.
