Is Science Our only Hope for Solving All Environmental Problems?

According to the World Wildfire Fund (WWF), the 'point of no return', where recovery of the damaged Amazon Rain Forest will be impossible, is only 15 to 25 years away. We are losing Earth's greatest biological treasures just as we are beginning to appreciate their true value. Indeed, human beings cannot wait any longer to realise the emergence of our environmental problems. While scientists are working so hard to try to save our environment using developed scientific knowledge, I doubt the feasibility of relying solely upon science as our only hope. Although science can be effective in some circumstances, it may worsen some environmental issues. Other sources of hope for solving our environmental problems should be considered seriously.

Proper use of science can indeed solve some environmental problems by making more efficient use of resources possible, keeping level of pollution low, etc. Nowadays, people seem to have put much of their hope on alternative sources of energy, since sources of oil is so limited on the earth, and the burning of fossil fuels has damaged the environment badly. The appearance of wind and solar energy seems to be the key to solving the resource crisis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the body of the world's leading climate scientists convened by the United Nations, said that if the full range of renewable resources were deployed, the world could keep greenhouse gas concentrations to less than 450 parts per million, the level scientists have predicted will be the limit of safety beyond which climate change becomes catastrophic and irreversible. Some might concern the costs incurred of replacing traditional sources of energy using renewable ones, as it requires strong scientific and economic basis to make good use of renewable energies. However, costs should not be the greatest concern. According to the IPCC, Investing in renewables to the extent needed would cost only about 1% of global GDP annually. Of course this statement does not take into consideration of the huge difference in the ability of different countries. After all, solving environmental problems should be a common goal of all human beings. If international cooperation helps all countries work towards the goal, scientific solutions would be far more effective and hopeful then they are now.

Although science provides human being the basic tool of saving our environment, improper ways of using it could on the other hand damage our environment further. The nuclear crisis of Japan this year has greatly raised the globe's attention. As science has the power to save our planet, it will then have the power to destroy it. The nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima plant due to the Japanese tsunami have caused global panic. People all over the world are frightened by the effect of nuclear radiation. Although nuclear power supplied about supplied about 30% of Japan's electricity, the country will scrap a plan