For biodiversity to thrive, conservation efforts must be Nature and People Positive
New study from the Earth Commission argue that stronger outcomes for biodiversity conservation can be attained if conservation actions are combined with justice measures to tackle the underlying causes of decline.
Despite decades of increasing investment in conservation, ‘bending the curve’ of biodiversity decline has not succeeded.
The international team of scientists say that efforts to meet new biodiversity targets and goals for the next three decades risk repeating past failures unless three factors are addressed in campaigning efforts and practice:
- focused attention to direct and indirect drivers of decline;
- unrealistic biodiversity response objectives and timelines, and
- failure to address fundamental inequities of past and current conservation and sharing of nature’s benefits.
“As the urgency and challenges in resolving the biodiversity crisis increase, actions to conserve biodiversity must broaden to address root causes and the entire scope of human – nature interactions.” says lead author and Earth Commissioner David Obura from Coastal Oceans Research Development – Indian Ocean (CORDIO) East Africa.
Earth Commission is convened by Future Earth, and is the world’s largest network of sustainability scientists, and is the scientific cornerstone of the Global Commons Alliance.
The stakes are higher than ever. We are facing unprecedented extinction rates.
The Global Hub Director (Sweden) for Future Earth and Executive Director of the Earth Commission, Wendy Broadgate continues: “A healthy biosphere is essential to support life and healthy societies.”
