environmental treats

Contemporary Issues Environmental threats Overpopulation Every 20 minutes, the world adds another 3,500 human lives but loses one or more entire species of animal or plant life - at least 27,000 species per year. ZGP July 1999 World population growth peaked at about two percent per year in the early 1960s. Latest population figures indicate that the rate of growth has slowed to 1.33 percent annually, equivalent to 78 million people a year. UNFPA 1999 The highest world population growth rate was 2.04 …

…create 'superweeds', which could out-compete and disrupt the natural biodiversity of an area. Many GM crops are also able to crossbreed with neighbouring crops. Government research concluded that crossbreeding would be “inevitable”. Critics argue that we do not know enough about the way genes operate and interact to be sure of what the outcome of any modification will be. They worry that the alterations could accidentally lead to substances that are poisonous or trigger allergies.