The age of extinction: can we prevent an
ecological collapse?
Today in
Focus Series
Presented
by Michael Safi with Phoebe Weston; produced by Lucy Hough and Rudi Zygadlo;
executive producer Phil Maynard
Wed 14 Dec
2022 03.00 GMT
The Cop15
conference in Canada brings together representatives from all over the world
with an urgent mission: preventing the breakdown of Earth’s natural habitats
and the extinction of the many species we rely on
For
thousands of years, the history of humanity can also be viewed as a history of
biodiversity destruction. As tools, weapons and industry advanced, so did our
ability for environmental destruction. Now the natural world is at a crisis
point. Fueled by the climate crisis, we are heading into an age of extinction
unless current trends can be reversed.
This week
at the Cop15 conference in Montreal, Canada, delegates from across the globe
have been meeting in an attempt to agree ambitious new targets. As Phoebe
Weston tells Michael Safi, the topmost target is the so-called “30 by 30”
pledge: a global target to protect 30% of the planet for nature by 2030. But
that in itself is proving controversial: Indigenous communities are suspicious
of landgrabs by over-reaching governments. And the 30% figure could be easy to
game by declaring lands as national parks without addressing the underlying
issues.
The
conference is also an opportunity for companies to assess their own impact on
nature. Indeed, the Guardian itself has begun a biodiversity audit this year.
But for the most part, Cop15 is struggling to attain the prominence of the
Cop27 climate conference. Leaders may live to regret their lack of commitment
to a cause that many scientists believe is as urgent as the climate breakdown.
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