Lovejoy biodiversity what is it

But the idea is to institutionalize this for its science and environmental implications, for the capacity-building to train students, and also to continue to bring these semi-mythical creatures called decision makers to the Amazon forest to understand its biodiversity.

It puts forward ambitious goals that grapple with both species loss and global warming. L: The paper that was published was the first time we put together, essentially, a map of biodiversity conservation goals together with the elements of the natural world that we need to have a sustainable planet — so some of the ecosystem restoration side of things.

L: I don't think there's any choice in the matter. One has to be optimistic. If one is pessimistic, one is not likely to try hard enough. If you are optimistic, you will look for ways to secure the future of birds and biological diversity on the planet.

This interview has been lightly condensed and edited for clarity. Membership benefits include one year of Audubon magazine and the latest on birds and their habitats. Your support helps secure a future for birds at risk.

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In a country heavily reliant on hydropower and income from farm commodities, that could lead to everything from blackouts and more frequent and severe wildfires to growing political dissatisfaction, analysts have warned. One problem in securing better forest protection is that few people understand how intimately nature and forests influence their daily lives, the biologist said. Beyond nature supplying clean air and water and a stable climate, plants and animals are the basis of many life-saving medicines - including a pioneering malaria vaccine this week, developed using compounds from a native Chilean evergreen tree.

In some political circles in Brazil, awareness about the risks of continuing deforestation is rising, Lovejoy said. The Amazon state of Mato Grosso, for instance - which lost huge areas of forest over the last two decades - has stepped up enforcement of rules requiring farmers to keep a share of their land in forest, he said.

This program is the most popular long-term series on public television. In , Dr. Lovejoy originated the innovative concept of debt-for-nature swaps , the exchange of international debt for conservation projects.

To date, over three billion dollars in conservation funds have been made available with this mechanism, for projects in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines, Madagascar, Jamaica, and Zambia, among many others. Lovejoy served briefly on the White House Science Council. In , he was chosen by the U. Secretary of Interior to be the Science Advisor. In he received the Blue Planet Prize. He has served on advisory councils in the Reagan, George H.

Bush, and Clinton administrations. He chaired the Scientific and Technical Panel for the Global Environment Facility which provides funding related to the international environmental conventions from and serves as Advisor to the current Chair.