A near complete reduction of the biodiversity and abundance of life on Earth. So far there have been at least five mass extinctions of life in Earth’s history. However, the current rapid decline of wildlife populations now suggests that the planet has entered a sixth extinction, commonly referred to as the holocene extinction or anthropocene extinction (Ceballos et al., 2020).

Protected areas of seas and oceans which regulate or ban human activities such as fishing. By designating areas as off limits to certain activities, local fish populations might recover to healthier populations. The areas around the MPAs can then provide productive fishing grounds when harvested responsibly (Attenborough, 2020).

A carbon-based molecule, methane is a greenhouse gas commonly used as fuel. Although it is recognized as a clean burning fossil fuel, there are legitimate concerns over methane’s contribution as a greenhouse gas, as it is 84 times more effective at trapping solar radiation than carbon dioxide. In addition, methane levels are elevating as a byproduct of agricultural practices, particularly with the mass production of cattle. Atmospheric methane levels could further increase as higher temperatures in the Russian and Canadian Arctic thaw huge sections of permafrost that contain gigatonnes of trapped methane. Some scientists worry that this much methane released over a short period of time could trigger a tipping point (“Atmospheric Methane,” 2021).

Actions taken with the intent of reducing the severity of climate change and its contributors.

An agricultural practice which prioritizes the growing of a single, specific plant within a large plot of farmland.  While farmers believed this to be the best way to produce valuable crops from a financial standpoint, monocropping depletes nutrients in the soil and replaces natural ecosystems. As a result, farmers often rely on fertilizers, irrigation, and pesticides to continue crop production, which in turn can further negatively impact the environment.

Incorporating the value of nature into the solutions of environmental and humanitarian issues. For example, establishing marine protected areas allows fish populations to recover while also maintaining a valuable food source for people (Attenborough, 2020).

The continuing decrease of pH levels in the ocean due to a buildup of carbon dioxide within the water. As part of the carbon cycle, oceans act as a natural carbon sink by sequestering carbon dioxide from Earth’s atmosphere. However, as humans continue to release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, this sink is exceeding its limit. While ocean acidification has occurred in the past, such periods also coincided with mass extinction events (Attenborough, 2020).

The planting, cultivation, and farming of seaweed forests in an effort to capture carbon and sequester it within ocean vegetation (Attenborough, 2020).

The practice of using more resources than is produced despite risks of exhausting the total supply beyond regeneration

The practice of catching fish from a body of water at a rate which exceeds that species’ ability to repopulate to a healthy population. Recent estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2018)  suggest that over a third of all fish stocks are overfished world-wide.

The rapid buildup of living individuals within a species to a point that cannot be sustained by the resources available within its environment.

Also known as trioxygen, ozone is a molecule which consists of three oxygen atoms. While it can have both positive and negative effects, its chief importance is recognized through its ability to absorb harmful ultraviolet radiation.

A region within the Earth’s stratosphere which contains the highest levels of ozone molecules and absorbs most of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. In the 20th century human produced chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons were attributed to the destruction of the ozone layer (National Geographic, 2011).

A unit of measurement and ratio to record the concentration levels of a particular particle within a typical sample of a billion particles. Commonly used to measure the molecular makeup of the atmosphere.

A unit of measurement and ratio to record how many particles of a particular compound can be found within a sample of a million particles from the same sample. Commonly used to measure the molecular makeup of the atmosphere.

The point in time when the volume of fish caught by humans cannot exceed the global catch of previous years.  Peak catch is believed to have occurred in the mid 1990s (Attenborough, 2020).

The point in time that the global number of children (aged 15 and under) ceases to increase (Attenborough, 2020).

The point in time that the global area devoted to farming ceases to increase (Attenborough, 2020).

The point in time that the global human population ceases to increase.

The point in time that the global production of oil begins to decrease.

A layer of soil that is found within higher latitudes which remains frozen throughout the year. The thawing of permafrost across the northern hemisphere releases a greenhouse gas called methane. Some scientists fear that the amount of methane released by permafrost could trigger a tipping point (Schädel, 2020).

A mindset that prioritizes continual growth as the desired end-result. Although this has traditionally been the practice of many economies, as the world population grows and resources dwindle, devotion to such a conviction could yield reckless and irreversible consequences.

The study of cyclic and seasonal processes in nature, particularly in regards to the impacts of climate on plant and animal life. For example, the migration of birds or the blooming of flowers are phenological events. These important biological responses are extremely susceptible to climate change (USA National Phenology Network, n.d.).

The breaking down, alteration, or degradation of a substance as a result of exposure to sunlight . Although celebrated for being incredibly durable, over time the polymers in plastic gradually become more brittle and break into smaller pieces. These tiny plastic bits infiltrate the food chain to the detriment of large and small marine (or terrestrial) creatures alike. While many of us might be familiar with the stories of animals entangled in fishing lines or dissected stomachs filled with ingested plastic bags, overtime the buildup of chemical toxins used in plastics can accumulate within animal bodies and poison them (Oliviera et al, 2020).

The process in which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into the consumable energy needed to function. By absorbing carbon dioxide, photosynthesis allows plants to act as carbon sequesters and combat greenhouse gasses. The destruction of forests, grasslands, and coral reefs means that fewer organisms can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by means of photosynthesis.

Small aquatic plants and algae that are found near the ocean surface. Phytoplankton are recognized as the basis for many marine food chains. Like many plants, they also utilize photosynthesis- therefore making phytoplankton crucial components of both marine food webs and the carbon cycle (“Phytoplankton,” 2021).

Nine Earth system thresholds (or tipping points), which if crossed, potentially lead to cataclysmic changes that destabilize conditions for life on earth. The nine phenomenons are biodiversity loss, climate change, chemical pollution (such as a buildup of plastic toxins), ozone depletion, atmospheric aerosols, ocean acidification, biogeochemical changes to nitrogen and phosphorus levels, freshwater consumption, and land use. Studies suggest that at least two of these boundaries (climate change and biodiversity loss) have potentially already been crossed, while the others might not be far away (Planetary Boundaries, 2021).

A diet largely consisting of food sourced from vegetation. When compared to raising livestock, plant-based foods emit fewer greenhouse gasses and require less space, energy and water to produce the final edible product.

A high latitude region of a celestial body permanently covered in ice. Earth has two polar ice caps, each located at the north or south pole. These frozen bodies of water contain the largest concentrations of freshwater on the planet and are crucial in regulating Earth’s climate processes. Unfortunately, these polar regions are experiencing the greatest impacts of climate change with average temperatures rising faster there than anywhere else on Earth.

A reference to the Earth’s atmospheric carbon dioxide levels prior to the Industrial Revolution. In the 800,000 years prior to the industrial revolution, carbon dioxide levels naturally fluctuated in cycles which ranged roughly between 180 and 300 ppm.  However, since the Industrial Revolution carbon dioxide levels have been rising at an alarming rate, and as of 2019, measure at 409.8 ppm (Lindsey, 2020).