Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw 🏛️
Discussion
Started 16 January 2024
Should the ongoing logging of trees in areas of natural highly biodiverse forests be considered a crime of crimes against humanity?
Should the ongoing logging in the Amazon forest, including other natural highly biodiverse forests, be recognized as a crime of destroying the planet's strategic natural resources generating an increased threat to human existence on planet Earth?
Should the ongoing logging of trees in the Amazon forest, also other natural highly biodiverse forests, and the logging of trees in other areas of natural forest ecosystems carried out in the formula of robbery pseudo-forest management should be recognized as a crime of destruction of strategic natural resources of the planet generating an increase in the threat to human existence on planet Earth?
Dear Researchers, Scientists, Friends,
In recent years, the need to accelerate and increase the efficiency of the green transformation of the economy has been growing in importance. This is due to the need to increase the scale of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, as generated by energy, industry, transportation, livestock farms, etc. continue to generate high greenhouse gas emissions and the global warming process is accelerating as a result. If the processes of green transformation of the economy are not significantly accelerated then the exceeding of 1.5 degrees C of the average temperature of the planet's atmosphere (counting from the beginning of the first industrial revolution) will happen even before the end of the current decade and the occurrence of a global climate catastrophe in the second half of this 21st century will become inevitable. One of the key elements of the green transformation of the economy is the cessation of deforestation processes and the development of reforestation programs for civilizationally degraded areas, post-industrial areas, post-mining heaps, urban areas as part of the reduction of concretions, and post-agricultural areas where the soil has been depleted due to the intensification of agriculture in the industrial model. By 2023, the deforestation rate in the rainforests of the Amazon natural rainforest has been almost halved in Brazil. This is a very good trend, in which perhaps finally the scale of protection of these natural highly biodiverse forests is beginning to improve significantly. This is especially important because the highly biodiverse rainforest ecosystems of the tropical natural forests of the Amazon contain more than 300 million unique species of flora and fauna and the Amazon forest is still the largest natural area of forest ecosystem that plays a key role in the natural process of absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere and emitting oxygen. The ongoing logging of trees in the Amazon forest, and the logging of trees in other areas of natural forest ecosystems as well, which is being carried out in a formula of predatory pseudo-management, should be recognized as a crime of destroying the planet's strategic natural resources generating an increase in the threat to human existence on planet Earth. Perhaps in this way, through appropriate changes in legal regulations, the large-scale deforestation of forest areas still taking place in many parts of the world and/or the predatory pseudo-management of forests that is being carried out would finally be ended.
I presented the issue of human security in connection with the green transformation of the economy, pro-environmental policies and the implementation of sustainable development goals in the article:
HUMAN SECURITY AS AN ELEMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
In view of the above, I address the following question to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:
Should the ongoing logging of trees in the Amazon forest, also other natural highly biodiverse forests, as well as the logging of trees in other areas of natural forest ecosystems carried out in the formula of predatory pseudo-forest management, also be recognized as a crime of destruction of strategic natural resources of the planet generating an increase in the threat to human existence on planet Earth?
Should the ongoing cutting of trees in areas of natural highly biodiverse forests be recognized as a crime of crimes against humanity?
What do you think about this topic?
What is your opinion on this issue?
Please answer,
I invite everyone to join the discussion,
Thank you very much,
Best regards,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
The above text is entirely my own work written by me on the basis of my research.
In writing this text I did not use other sources or automatic text generation systems.
Copyright by Dariusz Prokopowicz
Most recent answer
Still steadily declining forest area, deforestation prevailing over aforestation, predatory cutting of entire stands, cutting down old-growth forests, creating pseudo-forest monocultures serving mainly or exclusively for the production of wood raw material, etc., are key factors in the rapid decline of the biodiversity of the planet's natural ecosystems, including the extinction of many species of flora and fauna. In addition, deforestation processes also negatively affect the climate and amplify the progressive processes of global warming, soil aridity, etc. It is extremely strange that in the era of the 21st century, widespread knowledge of the civilizational sources and consequences of the progressive process of global warming, deforestation and/or predatory pseudo-management of forests is still carried out in many countries of the world. It is essential to urgently reverse these negative processes. In view of the above, given the negative effects of deforestation on the climate, biosphere and human beings, the issue of maintaining natural, highly biodiverse forest resources, including the conversion of deforestation to aforestation, should be included in basic human rights.
In the following article, I have included the results of the research conducted on the connection of the issue of sustainable development, the genesis and meaning of the Sustainable Development Goals, the essence of sustainable development in the context of social, normative, economic, environmental, climatic, as well as human rights aspects, etc. The research also addressed the issue of key determinants of human existential security as an element of the concept of sustainable development.
HUMAN SECURITY AS AN ELEMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
The key issues of this issue and why the above issue is important is what I wrote in the following publication:
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT AS A KEY ELEMENT OF THE PRO-ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE ECONOMY TOWARDS GREEN ECONOMY AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY
What do you think about this?
What is your opinion on this topic?
Best regards,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
3 Recommendations
Popular replies (1)
Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw 🏛️
Still steadily declining forest area, deforestation prevailing over aforestation, predatory cutting of entire stands, cutting down old-growth forests, creating pseudo-forest monocultures serving mainly or exclusively for the production of wood raw material, etc., are key factors in the rapid decline of the biodiversity of the planet's natural ecosystems, including the extinction of many species of flora and fauna. In addition, deforestation processes also negatively affect the climate and amplify the progressive processes of global warming, soil aridity, etc. It is extremely strange that in the era of the 21st century, widespread knowledge of the civilizational sources and consequences of the progressive process of global warming, deforestation and/or predatory pseudo-management of forests is still carried out in many countries of the world. It is essential to urgently reverse these negative processes. In view of the above, given the negative effects of deforestation on the climate, biosphere and human beings, the issue of maintaining natural, highly biodiverse forest resources, including the conversion of deforestation to aforestation, should be included in basic human rights.
In the following article, I have included the results of the research conducted on the connection of the issue of sustainable development, the genesis and meaning of the Sustainable Development Goals, the essence of sustainable development in the context of social, normative, economic, environmental, climatic, as well as human rights aspects, etc. The research also addressed the issue of key determinants of human existential security as an element of the concept of sustainable development.
HUMAN SECURITY AS AN ELEMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
The key issues of this issue and why the above issue is important is what I wrote in the following publication:
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT AS A KEY ELEMENT OF THE PRO-ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE ECONOMY TOWARDS GREEN ECONOMY AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY
What do you think about this?
What is your opinion on this topic?
Best regards,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
3 Recommendations
All replies (9)
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Dear Darius et al.,
for sure, when we wouzld liek to preserve our fragile Earth, we have to consider alternative approaches to think about the forests, CO2 and biodiversity.
Not only in Amazon and tropical rainforest area, but also in areas where t forests play important role in the land cover. The areas with high biodiversity value are really urgent to save and the countries with low budget should be supported to protect them as our common natural heritage
1 Recommendation
University of Wasit
نعم تعتبر جريمة بحق البيئة لان قطع الاشجار يزيد من التغيرات المناخية والتغير في التنوع البيلوجي البيئي
1 Recommendation
Forestry Corporation NSW
Good Forest management is complicated, long term and often misunderstood by environmental professionals who don't understand what is actually occurring.
However, for harvesting to occur in any forest that is of natural occurrence, there should be review by experts and demonstration that the long term future of that forest, both at the small scale and large scale is not compromised, both in terms of quality and area of forests..
Like it or not, Wood products are a very important product for society and building with these can offset the harm done by steel, concrete and glass via CO2 emissions etc, so the question is really:
How do we produce the most wood products as we can whilst minimizing the harm to the natural environment..
So, i think your question lacks subtlety.
Ongoing cutting of natural forest is ok if done carefully and precisely. Ongoing clearing/deforestation or changing the forest composition due to harvesting trees should be made impossible via proper governance and laws applied. the term 'Crimes against humanity' is not really a scientific but rather an emotive argument perhaps best not applied in a scientific forum..
2 Recommendations
School of Forestry Northeast Forestry University
The question of whether ongoing logging of trees in areas of natural highly biodiverse forests should be considered a crime against humanity involves complex considerations, encompassing environmental, social, legal, and ethical dimensions.
Environmental Impact:
- Highly biodiverse forests are crucial for global biodiversity, hosting a vast array of plant and animal species. Logging in these areas can lead to the loss of unique and often endangered species, disrupt ecosystems, and contribute to the overall decline in biodiversity. Destruction of habitats can have cascading effects on entire ecosystems.
Climate Change:
- Deforestation and logging contribute to climate change by releasing stored carbon in trees. Trees act as carbon sinks, and their removal can result in the release of significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming.
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities:
- Logging activities often affect indigenous peoples and local communities who rely on forests for their livelihoods, cultural practices, and sustenance. Displacement, loss of resources, and disruption of traditional ways of life can have severe consequences for these communities.
Legal Frameworks:
- While international environmental laws exist, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims to address biodiversity loss, there is no specific international law categorizing logging as a crime against humanity. National laws and regulations vary, and enforcement may be challenging.
Ethical Considerations:
- Many view the destruction of biodiverse ecosystems, especially in the context of logging in natural forests, as an ethical concern. This perspective emphasizes the responsibility to preserve the Earth's natural heritage for current and future generations.
International Criminal Law:
- Crimes against humanity, as defined in international law, traditionally involve acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population. While environmental degradation can have humanitarian consequences, it may not fit the traditional legal definitions of crimes against humanity.
Advocacy and Awareness:
- Public awareness and advocacy play a crucial role in influencing policies related to deforestation and environmental conservation. Global initiatives, NGOs, and environmental activists often work to raise awareness about the impact of logging on biodiversity and indigenous communities.
In conclusion, while the ongoing logging of trees in highly biodiverse forests raises serious environmental and ethical concerns, the classification of such activities as crimes against humanity may not align with current international legal frameworks. The complex nature of this issue underscores the need for comprehensive and collaborative efforts at local, national, and international levels to address deforestation, promote sustainable practices, and safeguard biodiversity and human well-being.
2 Recommendations
Papua New Guinea Forest Research Institute
Logging is both good and bad for the environment, wildlife and the people who depend on forests. A good management practice is to do inventory and take stock of the resources, potential value of forest products and services of the area of interest, then development options can be decided. Here in Papua New Guinea, the forests are owned by people in very isolated rural areas. Living conditions are mostly below standard with very few options to earn money. It is sadly a scenario where people resort to commit their forests to logging by large industries or otherwise by themselves using "mobile sawmilling operation" . Despite attempts to introduce REDD+ under climate change as a mitigation strategy the trend in loss of primary forests is increasing. Small scale, low intensity logging is an option to consider to promote sustainable forest management in selected areas. Areas designated for conservation are to be preserved so as to maintain a healthy population for biodiversity preservation.
1 Recommendation
Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw 🏛️
Still steadily declining forest area, deforestation prevailing over aforestation, predatory cutting of entire stands, cutting down old-growth forests, creating pseudo-forest monocultures serving mainly or exclusively for the production of wood raw material, etc., are key factors in the rapid decline of the biodiversity of the planet's natural ecosystems, including the extinction of many species of flora and fauna. In addition, deforestation processes also negatively affect the climate and amplify the progressive processes of global warming, soil aridity, etc. It is extremely strange that in the era of the 21st century, widespread knowledge of the civilizational sources and consequences of the progressive process of global warming, deforestation and/or predatory pseudo-management of forests is still carried out in many countries of the world. It is essential to urgently reverse these negative processes. In view of the above, given the negative effects of deforestation on the climate, biosphere and human beings, the issue of maintaining natural, highly biodiverse forest resources, including the conversion of deforestation to aforestation, should be included in basic human rights.
In the following article, I have included the results of the research conducted on the connection of the issue of sustainable development, the genesis and meaning of the Sustainable Development Goals, the essence of sustainable development in the context of social, normative, economic, environmental, climatic, as well as human rights aspects, etc. The research also addressed the issue of key determinants of human existential security as an element of the concept of sustainable development.
HUMAN SECURITY AS AN ELEMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN INTERNATIONAL LAW
The key issues of this issue and why the above issue is important is what I wrote in the following publication:
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT AS A KEY ELEMENT OF THE PRO-ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE ECONOMY TOWARDS GREEN ECONOMY AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY
What do you think about this?
What is your opinion on this topic?
Best regards,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
3 Recommendations
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