A Faculty Member from the College of Education for Pure Sciences Publishes a Scientific Article On: The Impact of Urban Changes on the Sustainability of Terrestrial Ecosystems (Life in the Wild).
Assistant Lecturer Alia Abdullah Hantoush from the College of Education for Pure Sciences published a scientific article entitled “The Impact of Urban Changes on the Sustainability of Terrestrial Ecosystems.”
In it, she explained that life in the wild is one of the Sustainable Development Goals launched by the United Nations. It aims to protect terrestrial ecosystems such as forests, soils, and mountains, reduce desertification, and halt biodiversity loss.
What is the relationship between life in the wild and urban geography?
Urban geography studies the relationship between humans and the environment within urban areas. As cities expand, terrestrial ecosystems are affected in several ways:
1. Urban expansion and land consumption lead to the conversion of agricultural and natural lands into residential and industrial areas, reducing biodiversity and increasing soil degradation.
2. Pollution of the terrestrial environment within cities through industrial activities and urban waste affects the soil, plants, and wildlife. 3️⃣ Pressure on natural resources due to population growth in cities, which increases the demand for food, water, and energy.
* How does this affect our health?
The increase in intensive and unsustainable agriculture, and the increased exploitation of wildlife, are all factors that contribute to the rise in zoonotic diseases—diseases that jump from wildlife to humans, such as COVID-19. Each year, approximately two million people die, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, from neglected zoonotic diseases. These diseases can lead to serious illnesses and losses in productivity in the developing world, a major problem that pushes hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers into extreme poverty.
This highlights the importance of living in an urban environment. With the expansion of modern cities, urban green spaces such as city parks, green belts, and afforestation projects have become essential for achieving ecological balance within the city. This contributes to reducing air pollution, preserving local biodiversity, and improving the mental and physical health of the population.
This highlights the role of sustainable land resource management in modern cities, relying on several strategies including:
*Sustainable urban planning *Utilizing green infrastructure *Rehabilitating degraded lands *Raising environmental awareness among residents
To learn more about Goal 15, visit https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/
Home – United Nations Sustainable Development 17 Goals to Transform Our World The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries—poor, rich, and middle-income—to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand in hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs, including education, health,
