normanbleventhalmapcenter at the BPL's photostream (CC)

Fish populations along the Northeast and mid-Atlantic coast of the United States have been fundamentally altered by climate change, heavy commercial fishing, and growing coastal populations, according to the 2009 Ecosystem Status Report.  Considered the broadest study of the region, the report reveals not only the devastating toll human activity has taken on the ocean, but also the delicate interconnected balance of the marine ecosystem.

While that precarious balance may sound obvious to some people, I think it’s important that studies like this are focusing more on the need to address the relationships within and between ecosystems, big and small, if we are serious about combating climate change. 

Cutting greenhouse gas emissions, protecting species and habitats, rethinking how food is produced and distributed, addressing urban sprawl and pollution; these are all pieces of the larger climate puzzle, and while each issue presents a new set of challenges, we can’t simply address one without recognizing how it affects the rest.  Another new recent that shows the important role that inland water plays in mitagating climate change, an apparent oversight in our understanding of the carbon cycle that could lead to a rethinking climate policy.

Simultaneously addressing the many environmental issues that we face may seem overwhelming, but only through a comprehensive approach will we be able to keep the earth’s balance from tipping beyond our control.