There are obviously many particular reasons for individual species, but the underlying factor is human population. This is set to rise to the end of the century. Positives are that the fertility rate is falling just about everywhere – but the ‘R’ number in this case is 2.1 (we ne3d the birth rate to be below 2.1 for the population to start to fall. Even then with longevity rising it will be decades before the statistics make a difference.
This means that we need to have a major look at sustainability. It is fairly obvious to all (apart from politicians and business leaders) that our free trade globalised capitalism has and is failing us. Perhaps all products should be taxed according to their sustainability. Cheap white goods exported around the globe in polluting boats would cost more than those designed to last.
Of course this would impact on the poor who would not be able to afford these long lasting better goods. Unless of course labour is adequately rewarded and top wages are capped with sensible (high) taxes – but these would not be necessary because no one would be earning extortionate amounts of wealth.
And a random bit Chuck Feeney has finally managed to give it all away – read this Maybe he should not have managed to get so rich in the first place, but fair play to him!