Preserving our Biodiversity

Welcome to #TRVSTLOVES. We curate news, ideas, and inspiration from across the world which demonstrate how real action can accomplish a positive social impact. We’re taking a look at biodiversity this time, and some of the encouraging initiatives in place to try and preserve it.

Representing the biodiversity of the sea

Quite often marine biodiversity is underrepresented, but an initiative led by 14 world leaders is set to try and change this. A report, based on researchers’ outputs has been published in Nature's Family of Journals, and whilst it acknowledges the precarious situation of our oceans, it also provides some much-needed hope and guidance. The findings show that if we are able to manage our oceans more sustainably, (starting with monitoring and accountability), then they could actually contribute between “6% and 21% of the emissions reductions needed by 2050 to achieve the goal of the 2015 Paris climate agreement”.

Investing in Biodiversity

To say that this year has been disrupted is a bit of an understatement, but before Covid-19, it was predicted that 2020 was going to be a big year for biodiversity. Yet evidently, investors are still betting on biodiversity because they understand the negative associated risks linked to a decline in our natural environment. A report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) says that half of the world’s GDP either moderately or highly depends on nature, so it makes a lot of sense that fund managers and investors are starting to listen.

Rights Based Conservation

All too often indigenous people, local communities, and afro descendants are ostracized by exclusionary conservation, but a study and publication by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) warn that this approach is not without cost and conflict and that rights-based conservation is a viable path to achieve the global biodiversity agenda. The report shows that these communities practice conservation through “collective ownership, governance strategies, and traditional ecological knowledge” and yet over half of the people living in these conservation areas are in low- and middle-income countries. It’s a really interesting read and usefully summed up with an executive summary, key findings, and recommendations.

South African’s Drivers of Change initiative

Earlier this year South African Drivers of Change Youth pilot went out looking for “green” projects. An impressive 250 entries were received, and from that, the South African National Biodiversity Institute revealed 13 that will now receive funding of over 1 million rand. The chosen projects cover a variety of solutions to tackle environmental issues such as climate change, and how to manage biodiversity/ ecosystems. Somewhere along the way, we’ve disconnected with our environment and how to care for it, so getting young people involved in initiatives like this is so important, they’ll grow up being more aware of our planet and how to look after it.

Masterclass in Biodiversity

We just love this - the Columbian government has joined forces with Kew Gardens in the UK to showcase Colombia´s indigenous plants and fungi, highlighting the importance of taking a sustainable approach to biodiversity. They’re doing this the fun way via a biodiversity masterclass with Colombian chefs Antonuela Ariza and Eduardo Martínez, where they’ll be making using ingredients such as chontaduro, borojó, and copoazú (that last one is a tree of the cocoa family!)