Our Planet​—What Is Its Future?

“While humans for millennia have feared ‘acts of God’ such as deluge and drought, they now are vulnerable to much worse: ‘acts of man’ played out through nature,” reports the Globe and Mail newspaper of Canada. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a comprehensive report urging action to correct environmental woes before it is too late. Executive director of UNEP, Klaus Toepfer, says: “We know enough now to see how our actions or lack of actions might shape the environment and the inhabitants of this extraordinary blue planet by 2032.”

Some environmental progress has been made since UNEP was established in 1972. As reported in The Toronto Star, “the quality of air and river waters has improved in Europe and North America, and checks on chemical emissions have made it possible for recovery of ozone layer damage.” Also, forest management programs, such as those in Canada, Finland, Norway, and the United States, “are ensuring that the impact of over-harvesting of timber will be reduced.” Even so, the UNEP report says that if economic growth continues unchecked and more of the earth’s surface is absorbed into cities, this will have a disastrous effect on wildlife and biodiversity. The Globe stated: “About half the world’s rivers are polluted or seriously depleted. Eighty countries holding 40 per cent of the world’s population have serious water shortages.”

Toepfer believes that “decisive action can achieve positive results.” He adds: “We need a concrete action plan . . . concrete projects . . . and above all a clear declaration.” But what hope is there if world leaders are resistant to acting in the best interests of the planet?

Be assured, there is one who has made “a clear declaration” and who will take “decisive action”​—Jehovah God. In fact, he has gone on record unambiguously stating that he will intervene and “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) Furthermore, God assures us that earth’s ecosystems will be restored. The deserts will blossom. (Isaiah 35:1) Food will be plentiful. Rivers will be free of pollution. (Psalm 72:16; 98:8) God guarantees a blessing for every living thing on earth.​—Psalm 96:11, 12.

[Picture Credit Line on page 31]

NASA photo