According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, 44% of land requires conservation – we were at just 15.7% in 2024. That leaves us with a challenge to conserve 28.3% of our planet. Roughly 50 million square kilometres of land, an area the size of South America, Europe and Australia combined. Just to acquire this land would cost over $6 trillion, which is almost the annual budget of the US government in 2024.
The World Economic Forum estimates that 75% of land has been significantly altered by humans, which translates to planetary-level biodiversity loss. Around 30% of global carbon emissions come from degraded land and the misuse of our previously natural world. Some estimates predict there will be 3 billion climate refugees by 2100. There were a total of 110 million refugees in 2024.
In desperation, David Attenborough took to Instagram to warn us of the existential threat we all face, which is also a challenge to identify solutions we must develop and implement:
“…the world is in trouble, continents are on fire, glaciers are melting, coral reefs are dying, fish are disappearing from our oceans, but we know what to do about it…”
– Sir David Attenborough, at 92, Instagram
The last part is the most important takeaway from his quote as we really do know what to do about it, we have the science, we have the technology and we have the majority of civilisation on our side.
This all must mean one thing. The systems we have built our society and economies around must be deficient and not fit for purpose. If they were then we would not be facing the challenges outlined above.
Modern zeitgeist
Apathy, confusion and expense were identified by Deloitte as the primary reasons for individual inaction on climate change and environmental conservation. This can be expressed in one thought:
“I want to help; but I don’t understand how; and everything looks expensive.”
– most people today
Apathy is a wholly understandable state of mind and we need its antithesis – passion and belief overcome apathy. To install this collective mindset and turn that into action, all solutions must have an emotive impact with visual proof that one’s actions are having a real, instant and lasting positive impact.
People tend to see everything climate-related as confusing, especially regarding what solutions are needed and how they can be implemented. To overcome confusion, solutions need to be simple to both use and understand.
Finally, to overcome the barrier of expense, solutions must be financially sound.
Nothing can overcome the challenges we face without being financially sound, easy to use, simple to understand and requiring a limited lift. We tick all those boxes. This can be expressed in one thought:
“I will help; I get it; and this is a sensible financial decision”
– our members