British Common Law is Effective for Protecting the Environment Term Paper

British Common Law is Effective for Protecting the Environment - Term Paper Example There is a need to promote a pattern of development that will not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs as the current generation strives to meet her current needs. This development perspective is known as â€Å"sustainable development† (International Institute for Sustainable Development 2007, p. 3).   Zhang et al. (2007, p. 105) reported that the â€Å"worldwide food problem could not be overall resolved by 2030.†   Hirsch (2007, 6-20) reported that several forecasts/estimates pointed out a peaking in world oil production very soon. Earlier, in 2005, Hirsch estimated that world oil demand will increase by 50% in 2025 from the 2005 level (p. 3). This implies that the world’s resources would have to be recycled rather than wasted wantonly. Second, there is a need to conserve biodiversity or the biodiversity of flora and fauna worldwide.   Unfortunately, however, about a tenth of the world species and about one-fourth of the world’s mammals are being threatened with extinction (International Union for the Conservation of Nature 2002 as cited by The Royal Society 2003, p. 1).   From 0.5 to 1% of the world’s tropical forests are being lost annually (Food and Agriculture Office 2001 as cited by The Royal Society of London 2003, p. 1). Wild vertebrae populations have declined by about 33% since 1970 (Loh 2002 as cited The Royal Society 2003, p.1).   Because the lives of species are interrelated, these developments have likely impacts on food as well as on the availability of materials that can be developed for drugs or medicines. As The Royal Society has stated in 2003, â€Å"our dependence on biodiversity is absolute: without it humans would not be able to survive† (p. 1). Related to protecting b iodiversity worldwide, the United Nations has identified more than 18 million square kilometers of the earth’s surface whose biodiversity must be protected (United Nations 2003, p. 23).