My appearance on BBC World Service’s One Planet has been postponed until next Thursday – for some reason the focus this week was on Copenhagen! I will be talking about Wallasea Island and the ecosystem services it will provide (plus a good few birds). Had the piece gone out yesterday I would have been able seamlessly to link the story to a new BirdLife International report published to coincide with Copenhagen.
Never mind – anyway, here is the press release and here is the report.
The report, Partners with Nature, has been published to coincide with the Copenhagen summit. It’s subtitle is ‘How healthy ecosystems are helping the world’s most vulnerable adapt to climate change’ recognises that the impacts are being felt now. Ecosystem services is a rather clunky name for all the life-supporting, climate change adapting, income giving benefits a well cared for natural world can give us this report looks at the real benefits that sustainable use of our natural resources can bring
Copenhagen must deliver the right outcomes (not just any deal but the right deal) on finance and emissions cuts. We are likely not to avoid the dangerous levels of climate change that lay in wait should Copenhagen fail – but even should it succeed, we will live with the some of the serious impacts of climate change well into the future. It is the world’s vulnerable and our fragile natural environment that will bear the brunt and is why the lessons set out in this new document are timely and significant.
There are case studies from around the world often featuring inspiring projects in Important Bird Areas where the benefits go beyond (but definitely include) the conservation of bird populations.