The constant buzz of cities is bad for our health. This is the conclusion of a UN report published on Thursday.
People around the world from Barcelona and Cario to New York are at risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease thanks to the constant roaring of traffic, construction sites and other sources of noise pollution, according to the UN. environment program.
Noise pollution: Cities that never sleep
In Europe alone, loud and continuous noise is responsible for 48,000 cases of heart disease and the premature death of about 12,000 people each year.
In the animal kingdom, birds are among those most affected by the problem. Zebra finches, tree sparrows and boobs sing louder or adjust their frequency so that they can communicate with each other during screaming. But this results in more frequent misunderstandings between birds and can damage males’ chances of finding a mating partner. Their new songs are not always well received.
Planting more trees and shrubs in cities could help, according to authors of the report. The plants will disperse and soften the noise, while improving the climate and the urban landscape. A row of trees growing behind a noise barrier wall, for example, can reduce noise levels by about 12 decibels.
Traffic noise could also be reduced by widening bike lanes and reducing car lanes. Creating green zones in cities would promote quieter electric vehicles and improve air quality.
Disturbed physical rhythms
Migratory birds no longer fly south in winter, plants bloom much earlier and birds build nests for their young earlier when there are not enough insects around to feed them.
Climate change not only raises global average temperatures, but also disrupts life cycles that have been around for thousands of years. These changes affect all habitat types from mountainous and coastal areas to forests and meadows.
Animal and plant species can not adapt to the rate at which the planet is warming, increasing the risk of entire ecosystems on earth and the ocean collapsing with unpredictable consequences for humanity.
To slow down the pace of climate change, we must drastically and rapidly reduce emissions. However, to address life cycle changes, researchers say it is essential to actively protect species, restore ecosystems and connect habitats by creating wildlife trails. This is the only way to ensure that the gene pools of the species remain intact and that they have the opportunity to adapt to new conditions through natural selection.
Fight fire with fire
Fires are a natural part of many environments, but longer and more extreme heat and droughts prolong fires and increase the likelihood of fires.
Last year, wildfires devastated vast areas of forest from California and Siberia to Turkey and Australia. These fires also released huge amounts of pollutants such as soot, particulate matter and greenhouse gases, significantly worsening air quality in nearby cities. Fires can also cause water pollution, marine eutrophication and loss of biodiversity.
According to the authors of the UN report, some precautionary measures could help improve forest fires and their consequences. Better cooperation between neighboring areas, satellite monitoring, lightning Detection, improved early warning systems and firefighting capability could all help.
Experts also recommend the use of traditional fire-fighting methods. Controlled burning of forest or shrubs creates an obstacle to an impending forest fire as it will deplete all available fuels. Fires can have benefits in some ecosystems, as some flowers and plants only grow when their seeds are heated by burning.
This article was originally published in German
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