Why conserve biodiversity? Dr Martin Sharman Policy Officer, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Why conserve biodiversity? Dr Martin Sharman Policy Officer, biodiversity research Directorate General for Research European Commission 1 I hope that nothing in this talk is new to you surprises you
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biodiversity
scientific study diversity of living things numbers notion mixed with human well-being basis of ecosystem services a vision of the complex living world “nature” “life on Earth” moral issue genes species habitats CBD definition what’s inside conservation areas the wider countryside their interactions their activities and properties living things
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business management accountancy demography education ethnology geography law psychology politics women's studies philosophy sociology social welfare teaching methods higher education industry and commerce finance ethnography anthropology public administration economic geography political geography international relations logic metaphysics social psychology
social science
traditional knowledge healing ethnobotany ethnozoology livelihoods equity sustainable use of biodiversity intellectual property regime behaviour botany biogeography bacteriology biocomputing computer science dispersion ecology ecosystem science entomology evolution horticulture extinction modelling mycology
protisology speciation taxonomy virology conservation
natural science
ichthyology lepidoptery primatology viability populations mountains marine dry lands wetlands rainforest
taxon-based science
zoology genetics genomics ethology proteomics genetic engineering atmosphere climate
transport agriculture forestry aquaculture fisheries urbanisation tourism
policy
nature conservation trade ecotourism nontimber products foresters conservationists farmers administrations
hunters fishermen gardeners birdwatchers ramblers bioprospectors economic ethics cultural spiritual intrinsic
monetary services aesthetic ritual
humanities
revenue indirect use
O2 nutrients soil water purification CO2 values history art emotional linguistics
economics
livelihoods values morals government
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…it’s all about an adaptable hominid
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present
millions of years before present (m.y. B.P.)
1953 1963 1973 1983 1993 2003 2013 James Watson and Francis Crick discover that DNA is a double helix DNA of chimpanzees, gorillas and humans discovered to be 99% identical first patent of a GMO first GM food: "Flavr Savr" tomato Dolly the sheep human genome GloFish first biotech pet 2 million years ago Homo habilis develops stone choppers from flakes and cores 1.5 m.y. Homo erectus creates complex chopper tools, leading to handaxe half a million years later controls fire expands out of Africa 0.2 m.y. Homo sapiens prepares core to ensure consistent flakes composite tools with wooden shafts 0.006 m.y. microlith tools ground, polished stone tools for grinding, cutting, chopping, adzing domestication of the dog agriculture pottery 0.1 m.y. modern humans appear in southern Africa 0.035 m.y. rapid succession of complex stone technologies 0.00006 million years
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1850 1950 2000 1970 1980 1990
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2 4 6 8 10 12 14 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
expert argument-based probabilistic forecasting
http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Research/POP/proj01/index.html?sb=7
does not take biodiversity loss
into account
represents the 55 million people killed in 2nd World War to scale, the thickness
95% confidence interval
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1950 2000 2050 2100 1900 population food natural resources 6bn 9bn
Beyond the Limits: Confronting Global Collapse, Envisioning a Sustainable Future Meadows, Meadows, Randers (1993)
Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update pollution industry « highly optimistic » no wars, ethnic strife, corruption, floods, earthquakes, nuclear accidents, epidemics IIASA
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1980 1990 2000 1970 1.0 0.6 0.2 1.4 1.0 1.4 0.6
depleting the natural capital of our Earth its deep, rich agricultural soils its groundwater stored during ice ages, and its biodiversity
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the world's richest 500 individuals have a combined income greater than that of the poorest 416 million people Fact:
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somebody somebody service service policy policy customer customer product product requests pays for
establishes delivers applies to
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Loss of species Loss of key functional groups (such as pollinators) Loss of nature’s capacity to look after us
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biodiversity ecosystem(s) climate change
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change)
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population food geometric increase (i.e. increase proportional to existing population) arithmetic increase (i.e. constant increase) population can no longer get enough food
Limits to Growth actually models geometric increase in food supply Collapse in food supply as agriculture is
soil contaminants and water pollution more and more land, fertilizer, energy, productivity
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The State of Humanity: Steadily Improving. Cato Policy Report, September/October 1995 http://www.cato.org/pubs/policy_report/pr-so-js.html
Advisor to US Presidents Spiritual mentor of Bjørn Lomborg
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agriculture gunpowder internal combustion engine insecticides nuclear power
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All responsible approaches depend on accelerating the development and deployment of new technologies To be economically sustainable this approach must foster the economic growth necessary to pay for investments in new technology
16 Apr 2008
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http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/06/14/hawkings_leave_earth/
at the speed we went to the Moon, it’d take a million years to get there
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Food Medicine Timber Fibre Fuel photography eco-tourism
climate regulation soil formation pollination providing habitat carbon sequestration nutrient cycling decomposition watershed protection sustaining trophic webs
culture spirit aesthetics emotion
existence future options bequest genes
Intrinsic value worth ‘in themselves’ Direct use Indirect use Non-use Unknown use
subject to trade easy to assign monetary value not normally subject to trade not easy to assign monetary value not subject to trade monetary valuation is difficult by definition monetary valuation is meaningless subject to patents(!) monetary valuation is guesswork Reasonable expectation
alternatives in future No not normally subject to trade not easy to assign monetary value
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Life depends
Stewardship Human well-being
Food Medicine Timber Fibre Fuel photography eco-tourism
climate regulation soil formation pollination providing habitat carbon sequestration nutrient cycling decomposition watershed protection sustaining trophic webs
culture spirit aesthetics emotion
existence future options bequest prudemce genetic options No reasonable expectation
alternatives in future
Morality
intrinsic worth awe respect
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encourage appropriate attitudes amass appropriate knowledge improve society’s awareness and understanding support appropriate, adequate, effective governance encourage sustainable behaviour
(including production and consumption patterns)
generate sufficient predictive capacity gather sufficient appropriate data provide adequate adapted education loss loss provide adequate capacity and resources establish appropriate, adequate institutions gain gain
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THE END This is
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₯ π ɩd e µ
R I H F B D L Q M T C E A P K G q a c d r b p
Me and my magic putter – no limits!
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rate of recovery rate of exploitation just like your bank account but it’s still not decoupled
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Convention on the Mediterranean, Convention on the protection of the Alps, etc.
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moderation
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biodiversity or biological diversity ecosystem(s) climate change
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climate change terror economy
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Global Environment Outlook 4 UNEP projections of biodiversity loss from 2000 to 2050
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Humans always invent ways to make as much food as they need population growth will always outstrip growth in food supply Making more food depends
energy, water and chemicals Humans clear land, find more oil, and invent more chemicals Earth’s resources are not infinite Not only are they infinite, but they are ever cheaper. And even if they aren’t, humans will find a way to leave the planet
more people means new technology more rapidly birth rates are dropping birth rates are much above replacement age at first child is dropping technology got us into this mess more people means more workers keeping pace with the population is paid for by the environment energy costs are rising rapidly as oil becomes scarce energy is artificially expensive bio-fuel competes with food for land water is becoming scarce
it would be more sensible and cost-effective to fix the problem here and now
as population grows, birth rates operate on bigger starting numbers economy benefits as children reach the work force more fossil fuel means more global warming
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habitats diversity soil conversion loss damage loss energy environmental cost fresh water photosynthetic capacity invasion pollution and waste climate change
appropriation eating into capital wild animals and plants stratospheric
depletion input and
change loss
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A sophism is a false but superficially plausible argument used to deceive.
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it’s all OK because Malthus was wrong
human population can go on growing starvation is not the major limiting factor population is much larger than Malthus imagined therefore numbers are not the issue science and technology will fix it The Grimm Brothers’ First Law: Hope and it will happen therefore his concept was wrong …somebody else’s fault globalisation failed states systems of distribution education “sustainable development” will fix it adaptation will fix it etc crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, soil loss, pollution, water, disease, armed conflict have nothing to do with human population size what environmental crisis, anyway? wasteful production, use and disposal of goods and services sustainable growth is not an oxymoron what’s the evidence? growth is vital for the economy nobody’s going to tell me how many kids I can have it’s all anti-capitalist propaganda Earth’s carrying capacity is infinite it’s the economy, stupid more people means a bigger market votes are money is people don’t vote to have fewer kids freedom is it’s not population size, it’s… simply break the link between economic growth and environmental degradation probably China’s unless we’re talking about China aliens will save us science and technology
we can all go and live on Mars carpe diem since we’re all doomed anyway Malthus: Populations grow until checked by natural causes, misery, vice or moral restraint. there is no ethical, environmental or economic case for small families¹ every baby born is a net asset²
¹ http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=4963 ² http://www.catholicexchange.com/2008/07/18/113
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livelihoods, recreation, culture, aesthetics, solitude, companionship, climate control, money, spiritual refreshment…