Industrial activity has accelerated the ecological damage of the planet, which is about to reach a breaking point, a prominent Mexican academic warned Tuesday.

Speaking on the eve of Earth Day, Ricardo Barragan of the Geological Institute of Mexico's National Autonomous University (UNAM), said mankind has sped up the natural process of climatic changes that would otherwise naturally occur over millions of years.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the environmental degradation affecting the planet has been intense and concentrated, meaning in just 100 years, mankind has caused as much damage as 3 million years of wear and tear would have, said Barragan.

"That's the danger, we are speeding up these processes," he said.

Countries need to take steps now to lessen the impact of the ecological changes taking place, calling on "the economically strong nations" to take the lead on this matter, said Barragan.

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