How much of the Earth's biodiversity have we not yet discovered? How many species remain undiscovered? According to scientists, the biological annihilation of life is happening right now. The Sustainable University invites you to a lecture by Prof. Piotr Skubała from the Silesian University in Katowice, which will take place on 22 November at 9:30 a.m. in the auditorium of the Faculty of Science.
The web of life, from which species are falling out, is becoming more and more frayed. Scientists talk about the biological annihilation of life taking place now. Wild vertebrates constitute only 3% of vertebrate biomass, three years ago the anthropogenic mass exceeded the biomass of all organisms on Earth, the mass of plastic is twice the mass of all animals, we have reduced the biomass on Earth by 50%. Safety thresholds were exceeded for six of the nine planetary boundaries. Do we realize what the irreversible and progressive loss of biodiversity really means? How much of the planet should we protect? Will there be a fundamental change in man's relationship to the Earth? Are we ready for change? How to help millions of species and ourselves?
Prof. Piotr Skubała, Ph.D. – professor of biological sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, ecologist, acarologist. Environmental ethicist, ecological educator, nature conservationist, climate activist. "Ethic expert" at the European Commission in Brussels (HORIZON 2020 program, HORIZON-MSCA-2022), member of the State Council for Nature Protection, member of the Team Europe expert network (European Commission), Chairman of the Council for the Climate and Environmental Crisis of the University of Silesia, member of the Climate Council at the United Nations Global Compact Network Poland. Co-organizer of the Ecological Culture Festival "Zielono Mi" (2007-2014), organizer and co-host of meetings of the Club of Ecological Thought (since 2012). Author of numerous lectures, workshops and courses at his home university, other universities in Poland and abroad, for various institutions. When introducing himself, he emphasizes that he is an Earthling, a representative of placental mammals, one of the millions of species inhabiting the wonderful Earth, and is proud of the title of the greatest humanist among natural scientists, awarded by the Interdisciplinary Center for Research in Humanities Education of the University of Silesia.