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Today’s blog, written by Senior Policy Officer Marcus Nyman, explores the implications of COP15 for nature globally and in the UK, highlighting some of the ways individuals, communities and businesses can take action.
The COP15 is a crucial moment, bringing together leaders from across the world to agree a framework to put nature on the road to recovery. But this is not just a task for elected officials – we all have a role to play, whether at home or in the workplace.
During your coffee break recently, you may have scrolled through your social media feeds and noticed talk of “COP15” or “CBD” and wondered what that has to do with you, here in the UK. We all have our day jobs after all. But you might be surprised how significant the Convention on Biological Diversity —happening now in Montreal— is for all of us. Globally, this conference —which has been delayed for two years— is a critical moment for the future of nature. It brings together leaders from across the world to agree a framework that will turn around the stark declines in biodiversity we have seen globally, committing to action and ensuring there is money available to make that happen. However, putting nature on the road to recovery is not just a task for our elected leaders – it is something we must all take responsibility for, whether at home or work.
Starting at home
While global biodiversity loss may conjure images of deforestation in the Amazon or dying coral reefs, this is no less noticeable in UK parks and gardens. The RSPB’s Big Garden Bird Watch —now entering its 44th year— has recorded serious declines in some of the UK’s once most common species. For example, the song thrush has seen its numbers decline by 81% since the first BGBW in 1979. In 2023, the number of people taking part in the BGBW are likely to increase from the already impressive 700,000 who participated in this year’s iteration – and among them will be many businesses and employees, taking the opportunity to observe nature for an hour in January. Joining in is not only fun and enjoyable but can also be a much-needed moment of calm to reconnect with nature, all while contributing to the state of scientific knowledge on how the UK’s birds are faring.
But what has this got to do with an international conference and the health of nature globally?
Looking beyond the fence
We are increasingly recognising how interconnected our natural systems are, and that to save nature, we cannot be content with preserving dwindling pockets of wildlife-rich spaces. We must look beyond and try to grow, increase and connect up spaces in which nature can thrive. In addition, we are coming to properly realise—and value—the vast array of wealth and resources that nature provides, often for free. Some of nature’s most powerful benefits come in the form of connection, health and wellbeing. But furthermore, natural systems provide all kinds of critical services and resources that underpin the whole of the economy – so-called ‘natural capital’.
So, the prospects of nature close to home —in our parks, gardens and local spaces— depend on nature thriving beyond their boundaries. But how well is nature faring there and what can we do about it? The answer is that for the past half century, we have made our landscapes less and less hospitable to wildlife. The farmland bird index has shown steady declines in many of our once abundant species, as well as threats to those rarer species still hanging on. This is due to dwindling spaces set aside for nature and increased intensification of agriculture to meet rising demand and squeezed margins. For example, pesticide use has contributed to a crash in the insect abundance and diversity – a critical component of healthy food webs and pollination. But there is hope in the increasing appetite from farmers to farm in more nature-friendly ways and in businesses and consumers recognising the impact their choices, investments and actions have on nature.
Looking out from the heights of one of the UK’s National Parks —perhaps on a corporate volunteering day or a family holiday— one might be forgiven for admiring the beauty and scenery and not recognising nature has been struggling here too. Often understood as places for nature to flourish, our protected landscapes have struggled with competing priorities and underfunding, with wildlife often faring worse within these areas than without. But there are signs of change and opportunities to bolster the prospects of nature and encourage a greater range of people to visit, work in and enjoy these areas. The Glover Review made all kinds of bold recommendations and businesses will have key role to play within them, whether thinking about the land they manage, the jobs they create or the impacts they may have on our most special sites for nature.
Looking beyond our coasts
Travel in any direction on our island home and you will inevitably reach the sea and find reminders that our world stretches beyond these shores. Just as on land, our marine ecosystems are under threat – from a lack of protection, poorly planned development, overuse, pollution and climate change. These shores are globally important for many seabirds, some of which are here on a permanent basis, others of which only pass along their global migratory routes. In many ways, our role in this regard is as stewards of global goods, acting on behalf of the whole world and future generations. But our ability to protect our seas is even more dependent on our ability to cooperate internationally because neither pollution nor precious shoals of fish respect the 12 nautical miles that define our territorial waters. Once again, we all have a role to play because no one country nor government alone can do this. Businesses need to think about how their actions are shaping marine environments, how to sustainably use the sea to meet our energy needs, and if, where and how we use the many resources the sea can provide.
Many of our most important coastal areas and estuaries for wildlife are also home to critical infrastructure and industry; the grey alongside the green and blue. Our largest ports—carrying goods from across the world—are adjacent to mudflats, saltmarsh, tidal lagoons and beaches that provide refuge and feeding grounds for all kinds of critical species. The pressure for trade and transport infrastructure to grow has impacts on nature both here at home and through vast global commodity supply chains. The Dasgupta Review —commissioned by the UK Treasury— points to evidence that as much as 30% of species threats are driven by global trade.
All this goes to show that while as countries or as companies, we might make ambitious commitments to save nature, to do so requires collaboration with others and an understanding of just how integral nature is to what we all do and value. Whether we like and know it or not, we are all invested in this mission. That is why we need those in Montreal to follow through on their commitments and take the big actions necessary to make all our small contributions mean something.
Starting small but not ending there
So, when the New Year comes and governments have signed on the dotted line in Montreal, we might ask what individual employees can do to help. Well, taking some time at work or at home to participate in the Big Garden Bird Watch could be a great place to start but let us not finish there. The next step might be to ask what more we can do for nature on the land we have a hand in shaping. Could you company use fewer chemicals? Could it introduce more natural features? Could it enable more access for communities? And then ask whether we understand our supply chains and their impacts on nature? Could we source more sustainably or with wildlife in mind? Could we be more transparent through disclosure and reporting? Could we partner with others to help us? And then we can consider our finances, governance and corporate relationships. Do we work with companies that damage nature? Do we know the impact our pensions schemes and investments are having on biodiversity? And finally, can we influence others – our employees, customers, shareholders or even governments and other businesses – to better integrate nature and an understanding of how critical it is to us all into what we do on a daily basis?
So, as we sip our cup coffee, while counting the birds out the window of the breakroom, we might also ask where that coffee came from, what impact it might have had on birds and other species where it was grown and transported, and what we can do, as a company, to take action for nature.
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