Stopping the Wave of Biodiversity Loss 🌊
A how to guide on solving this tsunami of tsunamis
Dear ReWilder
You and I are living in a time of extraordinary ecological loss. As always, the goal of this email thread is to break down solutions on how to solve this tsunami of tsunamis, and how together we can restore the delicate balance to the natural world.
Reference: Mackay Cartoons (twitter)
🗿Acknowledging the Challenge:
Welcome to the anthropocene - not only are human actions destabilising the very conditions that sustain life, but it is also increasingly clear that we are pushing the Earth into an entirely new geological era - the Anthropocene. As the planet has been pushed beyond its own capacity, there is a growing group of determined individuals and organisations that are addressing these issues... at ReWild we consider these ‘solutionaries’.
🧰 Rethink our Approach
‘No country has ever ended human deprivation without a growing economy, and no country has ever ended ecological degradation with one’
We cannot expect people who don't have access to the basic human needs to care about ecological loss and climate change. Therefore we need to address building a better social foundation whilst keeping within the limits of our planet. We need new approaches to solving the above challenges, and many are innovating with rethinking the economy, education and business (more on that later).
🌡️ Accurate Assessments
“When accurate data isn’t readily available, it is basically like driving with your eyes closed”
The first step is to measure biodiversity loss and other limits to the planet, which the Stockholm Resilience Center has been leading with the planetary boundaries model. Sam and Alistair (ReWild’s co-founders) were fortunate enough to travel to Stockholm to visit the university in January this year, and as two South Africans, “our eyes were widened by what's possible in Europe… we left Europe feeling inspired by what we learnt, but also grateful for what we have here in Africa”.
Reference: Stockholm Resilience Center (Sweden)
In short, we are reaching multiple tipping points through human activity (aka Poly-crises). The planetary boundaries model is a great step in the right direction, and there is much work to be done too, with so many unknowns that remain unanswered. Our world lacks the appropriate tools to measure our own impact, and when accurate data isn’t readily available, it is basically like driving with our eyes closed - so this step requires our undivided attention. Today, you and I are fortunate - for we are living in the digital revolution, with big data which allows us to measure more accurately that ever before.
🍀 Luck
Our country (South Africa) is so biologically diverse, and by a historical stroke of luck, our wildlife and biodiversity hasn’t yet been totally lost. Africa is incredibly fortunate here, where other Southern Hemisphere countries such as Argentina have suffered from introductions of alien species, such as the beavers in the Tierra Del Fuego area, in the 1940s. As a beaver is no match for a lion, Africa has been naturally lucky in that there are still enough predators and key stone species such as the lion to keep the circle of life somewhat in check. When we consider alien invasive plant and fish species, it is sadly a different reality. The point is that we in Africa are extremely fortunate to have large tracts of land relatively undisturbed, and we should aim to act in ensuring that it remains this way. As most experts will agree, if Africa’s population continues at its current growth rate, like Nigeria, our population will have doubled by 2050.
🎖️Action:
21st century leadership is required to spark action, and at some point, we all just need to begin. Building the wall of restoration to stop the wave of biodiversity loss requires us to act, from businesses, government and individuals. So where can we start? Start with smaller systems - to do so, we require changing behaviour, and the best place to start is with the smallest action possible - this is one recommendation mentioned in the book ‘Tiny Habits’. If it’s eco-bricking, just put one single piece of single use plastic in a bottle. Reduce your food waste by one fruit a week... any small action that you are motivated to do, is accessible (the ease of your recycling system for example), and has a prompt (something which encourages you to do the habit). Bigger systems are harder to leverage or change, and require all of us working together on changing and updating too, let's save that discussion for a more in depth article.
💼 Social Innovations and Business For Good:
We are in need of a new innovation … one of a Social nature. A shorter term solution which is rarely discussed is social innovation. Social innovations are needed because they don’t just plug the dam wall from leaking here and there, but solve the actual damn problem.
SEED is doing just that, supporting enterprises across sectors that generate positive environmental, social and economic impacts. ‘These eco-inclusive enterprises stimulate sustainable development to reduce poverty and combat environmental degradation. The small and growing enterprises that we work with at SEED lead our global transition to a socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable green economy.
To see what ReWild has been working on, click on this link to watch a video created remotely for the UN High-level Political Forum where SEED and the UN Environmental Programme hosted a side event titled Recovering Better: Global Opportunities for Jumpstarting the Real Economy.
💡Keen to Learn More?
Book Club
You can read our book review here or buy it here
You can buy it here
If you’re interested in ReWild Bookclub, click reply and recommend to us a book you most often gift or suggest to others via email
Watchclub
Per Olson - Defining the Need for Transformations to Sustainability
What's Happening this Month at ReWild:
It is with the heaviest of hearts that one of our dearest friends and advisors to ReWild - Eduardo ‘Shima’ Shimahara -has passed away. There was a memorial at the Sustainability Institute on the 30th July 2020 - you can re-watch the memorial service here.
Each week, ReWild meets and eats at our weekly drumbeat - our Monday Morning Power Meetings, and it always has nourishing food. This weekly tradition was inspired by Shima and how he always organised meetings around eating. This tradition will continue to live on as long as ReWild is alive, in memory of our dear friend Shima
Sam and Alistair are joining the Sustainability Institute in September for their Introduction to Business Sustainability (you should join too)
Sam is now a certified Climate Reality Leader through the Climate Reality Project, presented and certified by Al Gore
Alistair was named an Ocean Ambassador by the MSC for work relating to the collaboration with their Fish For Good Campaign
Reconnect within our own Kruger wilderness later this year with Rewild Experiences, whilst learning from forms, systems and behaviours that have stood the test of time. Please get in touch with sam@rewild.tv as there only a few spots left
If you’re interested in learning more about Biomimicry, check out our short courses here, or see check Forbes had to say about the course
As always, if you have any questions, or advice, or an opinion to share, please reach out to us at Elvi@rewild.tv
Wild regards
Alistair and the ReWilders
Good stuff Ali and team 👏🏻 You guys are on the right track