We Can Still Save At Least Half of Earth’s Land from Human Influence, Study Finds

Humans have heavily influenced the world’s ecosystem – especially in cities and agricultural areas. But a team of international researchers have now found that around half of Earth’s ice-free land is still virtually unaffected by humans, sparking hope for conservationists.

“The encouraging takeaway from this study is that if we act quickly and decisively, there is a slim window in which we can still conserve roughly half of Earth’s land in a relatively intact state,” says postdoctoral scholar Jason Riggio, lead author of the study led by the National Geographic Society and the University of California, USA.

Governments have been urged by organizations such as the Half-Earth Project and Nature Needs Half to protect 50 percent of Earth’s land and water by 2050. Intact lands can help make this happen, as they help purify air and water, pollinate plants, and break down waste.