Scientists collaborate to assess health of global e...( lar area Mooney said. This is r...)

"This is really important because the global view gives averages, and global averages may be misleading," he said, noting that different ecosystems face different issues--overfishing in the Caribbean, for example, versus groundwater usage in Chile's Atacama Desert or wood fuel harvesting in Zambia.

Overall, the diminishing capacity of services to meet human demands reflects a global problem, Mooney said. Fifteen of the 24 services the assessment considered have been degraded over the last 50 years--most notably fresh water, fisheries, air and water purification, and the regulation of climate, natural hazards and pests. Only four have been enhanced, and three of those pertain to food production.

Turning things around will require significant policy and institutional changes not currently under way, the global assessment will conclude.

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Contact: Mark Shwartz
mshwartz@stanford.edu
650-723-9296
Stanford University
28-Mar-2005