Before and After Images of Global Devastation Hotspots

Skeptical about human impact on the environment? WeHeartWorld has taken UNEP’s Atlas of our Changing Environment, which shows hotspots of human destruction around the world, and picked 11 places that portray the most dramatic changes through satellite imaging. There’s absolutely no doubt that the human race has negatively affected these areas, which include regions of Spain, Mozambique, Tanzania and China, among others. We’ve diverted rivers, cut down forests, wasted water resources and set fire to ancient trees. We’ve destroyed ecosystems, killed billions of animals, turned entire regions from lush, fertile lands to dry, near-barren deserts.

Here are two of WeHeartWorld’s picks. Judge for yourself, and check out the rest at WeHeartWorld.com.

Almeria, Spain

This pair of satellite images shows the impact of massive and rapid agricultural development in Almeria Province along Spain’s southern coast.

In the earlier image, the landscape reflects rather typical rural agricultural land use. In the 2000 image, much of the same region-an area covering roughly 20 000 hectares (49 421 acres) - has been converted to intensive greenhouse agriculture for the mass production of market produce.

Greenhouse-dominated land appears as whitish gray patches.

In order to address increasingly complex water needs throughout Spain, the government adopted the Spanish National Hydrological Plan (SNHP) in 2001.

Initially, this water redistribution plan involved the construction of 118 dams and 22 water transfer projects that would move water from parts of the country where it was relatively abundant to more arid regions.

In 2004, the Spanish government announced it would begin exploring more environmentally friendly water-saving technologies, such as wastewater recycling and seawater desalinization.

Santa Cruz, Bolivia

“Where People Go, Nature Dies”

Santa Cruz is situated in Bolivia’s rich, fertile lowlands, a region highly suitable for agriculture.

In the 1975 satellite image, the region’s forested landscape appears as a dense, essentially unbroken expanse of deep green that extends to the Rio Grande (Guapay) River. It was beautiful from the sky and on the ground.

By 1986 roads had been built that linked the region to other population centers.

As a result, large numbers of people migrated to the area.

A large agricultural development effort (the Tierras Baja project) led to widespread deforestation as forests were clear-cut and converted to pastures and cropland.

By 2003, almost the entire region had been converted to agricultural lands, including the area east of La Esperanza across the river.

In the area north and west of Los Cafes (upper left), notice the grid of squares on the landscape, each with an internal star-shaped pattern.

At the center of each square is a small community.

We’re doing such a great job taking care of this planet to ensure that it’s still hospitable for generations down the road, aren’t we? People suck.

Link [WeHeartWorld]

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