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Biodiversity in Crisis

Biodiversity in Crisis. A Crucial Role for Business Colin Meurk, Cerasela Stancu, Ann Smith February 2007 – Sustainability Conference. Content. The Biodiversity crisis – is it real? Business role & why Exemplars Threats Common threads What Business can do.

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Biodiversity in Crisis

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  1. Biodiversity in Crisis A Crucial Role for Business Colin Meurk, Cerasela Stancu, Ann Smith February 2007 – Sustainability Conference

  2. Content • The Biodiversity crisis – is it real? • Business role & why • Exemplars • Threats • Common threads • What Business can do

  3. Carbon emissions & global warming have been hogging the headlines lately, but …the biodiversity crisis is in many ways more calamitous;it rips away at our identity;expect 40% of threatened spp to go extinct

  4. Plants & Vegetation • >75% NZ plants are endemic • Most of NZ lowlands devoid of indigenous habitat • Representation worst in world! • c. 25% forest cover (3% exotic) – most in mountains • compare >60% Japan & c. 50% in Europe • Clean Green image a myth!

  5. Extinction is forever!(% of endemic group that is:extinct, threatened or endangered) • 100% NZ frogs • 100% tuatara • 100% moa and overall … • 100% kiwi • 100% aptornis 29% NZ breeding seabirds • 100% kakapo • 66% kea & kaka 56% NZ breeding non-marine birds • 66% NZ wrens • 33% whiteheads Protection of all of these is our duty! • 100% piopio • 100% wattlebirds • 100% short-tailed batsRef: Kerry-Jane Wilson 2004

  6. Uniquely New Zealand • Landscape & Geological History • Biodiversity • Indigenous people & culture • An emerging synthesis: Aotearoa-NZ culture? • These are core to our identity • Fundamental need of humanity • appreciating nature & natural processes • appreciating natural & cultural diversity • recognising ones own distinctiveness

  7. A values & sustainability metaphor • Commerce is the bread & butter of a nation • Physical environment is the heart of a nation • Biodiversity is the soul of a nation • along with the interdependent indigenous culture

  8. What’s it worth? • Ecosystem services >US$30 trillion • Replacement cost for destroying primary habitat c. $100 000 per ha • Intrinsic value of aeons of (?divinely inspired) evolution? • Whatever the cause – these are precious creatures (creations) that we have no right to mess with and exterminate • They are priceless.

  9. Can’t Replace Time • Unlike most other environmental damage, extinction is forever • And habitat destruction in NZ is almost forever • An instant gratification society • Business & society doesn’t generally deal well with delay & patience • With technology - too easy to destroy & rapid replacement can only be trash • Throw away, constant turnover culture is destabilising to nature

  10. Role for Business • Corporates have influential role in society • NZ has some catching up to do – more urgent here • Legal and international obligations, but not acknowledged in NZ Biodiversity Strategy • RMA – everyone is responsible • We all have to walk the talk • Need to Mainstream biodiversity – education, business, music, sport • Earthwatch Institute has developed a B&B programme • Assessment to identify biodiversity holdings or impacts • Development of BAP • Integration of BAP into EMS

  11. Some Good News • B&B is not bed & breakfast – but an agenda of a growing number of corporates • Some have Environmental Management System (EMS) • Few have Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP) • Some aspiring to C-neutrality • Integrated with other environmental initiatives

  12. Good news - the Exemplars • Wine industry (land integral part of business) • Trading on point of difference

  13. Banrock Station Vineyard Supporting wetland conservation around the world Conserving water

  14. Travis Wetland Tumara Park

  15. Grove Mill Frog symbol Iwi Partnership Po, Pataka Kumara pits

  16. Greening Waipara

  17. Other examples • Urgent Couriers – Major support for Trees for Survival – need 200 ha of forest to offset C-emissions. • Whale Watch • Blackcat • Project Crimson • Kakapo Rescue Programme

  18. Untouched World

  19. Otukaikino Partnership between Ngai Tahu, DoC, Lamb & Hayward

  20. BNZ & DoC Kiwi Recovery Programme

  21. Threats • Drier business approach • Not genuine part of company culture – green wash marketing • Turnover of staff, management & champions, & loss of institutional memory • Balance between reflecting & directing cultural norms • legitimate lead in biodiversity advocacy given the forces operating against it. • Discouragement – because of difficulty & setbacks • consciousness raising by ‘doing’ is superior to disconnected sponsorship.

  22. Common threads • Role of champions is important – knowledgeable, astute advocates in right place & right time • Small businesses with buy in from all staff • Orientation for new employees

  23. What can Business do? • Engage in partnerships with qualified advisers – who can assess existing values. • Avoid destruction of primary habitat in the belief that restoration can mitigate loss of natural ecosystem • Enhance degraded habitats (weed/pest control) • Where these options aren’t available – engage in habitat creation. • Provide public access & biodiversity interpretation • Give champions sufficient resources to do the job (after independent professional review of their proposals)

  24. Productive values in native timber Options for Timber Industry Use Sterile Hybrids 5-finger & mahoe under Douglas fir Matai & totara seedlings under ‘fir

  25. More to do … • Provide community leadership – to make it respectable – seen to be walking the talk • Purchase of C-credits related to regenerating bush will also generate biodiversity credits • Bring ecologists into the board room. This is proper meaning of TBL – maybe should be 6BL! • Make sure independent audit • Check out impacts/ethics of procurements, activities, investments & products – e.g. herbicides are used or sold to eradicate indigenous vegetation; Banks have provided loans for vegetation clearance.

  26. We think the destruction is over, but …

  27. Pulling together • Loggerheads between property rights & conservation unhelpful • Only resolvable if compensation for foregone production/development is provided – equalised across the country & affordable • Consensus among government, business, iwi, landowners, NGOs, emerging cultures, neighbourhoods & individuals • Govt & Business have to set the tone & standard or inequities will allow some to shirk responsibilities

  28. How do we know when we’re there?Viable wildlife, Legible Landscapes & Cultural Sculptures

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