Exactly one year ago - on August, 8th 2016 - we had the
so-called World Overshoot Day. It means that by that date, we had consumed all the annually renewable
resources on earth and started to live on credit, according to the Global Footprint
Network.
Last week on August 2nd, all TV channels, newspapers and radios were simultaneously persuading us that we had "crossed the ecological line". Actually it is the same ecological line we're crossing every year: the Global Footprint Network makes quite unprecise and controversial predictions on the date when it's supposed to happen, and then changes them, a posteriori.
Indeed, you can notice differences in the data: for the same year, you have two different dates for this Overshoot day. They argue it's because they constantly improve their estimation methods, taking into account more elements.
Last week on August 2nd, all TV channels, newspapers and radios were simultaneously persuading us that we had "crossed the ecological line". Actually it is the same ecological line we're crossing every year: the Global Footprint Network makes quite unprecise and controversial predictions on the date when it's supposed to happen, and then changes them, a posteriori.
Indeed, you can notice differences in the data: for the same year, you have two different dates for this Overshoot day. They argue it's because they constantly improve their estimation methods, taking into account more elements.
I'll let you make your own conclusions concerning the accuracy
and reliability of their calculus techniques, considering the fact that the GFN itself admits "It is not possible to verify the precision and reliability of all of the underlying data, which may vary from country to country".
It is funny how the end of the world, and various thoughts about apocalypsis have become a paranoia - or at least global and self-sustaining fear - among scientists and the civil population. A tiny voice is constantly reminding us that our civilization will soon collapse, and that mankind bears the full responsibility of the destruction of its environment. But wait, something like this was already scheduled for December, 21th 2012 (according to a Maya Calendar), remember?
Seems like the scientists working on those topics don't suffer from a lack of
imagination. Here's another example of an apocalypsis scenario.
Created in 1947, the Doomsday Clock calculates how much time
we have left until the actual end of the world. On a fictive scale of 24 hours
- which represents the total duration of earth's existence - it estimates that
it's now 11:57 PM. Quite stressing, isn't it? But the best part comes next: the clock was originally set to 11:43 PM in
1947 (which is already pessimistic). And the progression of time on this very
special clock IS NOT LINEAR.
Source: Wikipedia
Basically, this Clock is just a representation, a symbol
elaborated by scientists who identify the risks and different events that could
potentially have an impact on our planet: climate change, massive pollution, nuclear
war… Depending on the intensity of the threat, the time can accelerate, so that
we get closer to the end. It is however interesting to point out that the
alarming "11:57PM" is linked to the "rise of 'strident nationalism'
worldwide", these
scientists say.
Let's remind that in the Bible (Matthew,
24:36), it is clearly said that "concerning that
day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but
the Father only.". Our friends from Global Footprint Network should have
incredible superpowers then… or just an excessive vainglory.
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