King Urges Governments to Focus on Saving the Natural Environment and Dismisses Interplanetary Travel

The Third Annual World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment has started (June 28th 2011) with the former Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King, calling on governments around the world to do more to protect the natural environment.

This year’s World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment (WFEE11) will focus on Valuing Ecosystem Services, and explore the key challenges and critical milestones in our transition to sustainability.

King, The Director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment opened the third annual World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment, saying:

“Ecosystem services are vital to the future wellbeing of humanity. But they are currently being destroyed at an alarming rate through our own actions. Our current economic and social mode of operation attaches little or no value to these life support systems. The message for governments is actually quite clear. Create the right framework which ensures that environmental degradation comes with increasing costs to those who would damage the environment. The warning signs are there for all to see – action is urgently needed.

We must also get over this notion that protecting our planet is beyond our capability. We cannot simply relocate to another planet once we have exploited and mismanaged the resources of the earth. There is no planet B with the demanding conditions (temperature, atmospheric composition, life forms, geological deposits, etc.) which we must have for our survival.”

Glyn Davies, Programmes Director WWF-UK said:

“The loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services is a global problem that is out of control – according to our Living Planet report, we are consuming 1.5 planet equivalents of natural resources each year which is obviously unsustainable. While progress has been made in raising awareness and mobilising for action – including new goals, valuation tools and action strategies on a global scale – we have yet to solve the systemic causes that continue to thwart meaningful, measurable change.

Where have payments for ecosystem services helped us maintain the world’s forests? Which governments are truly committed to supporting ’green economic development’? Where can substantial, sustainable financing be found? These are all important issues which build on the Nagoya biodiversity commitments of 2010, and I hope will be tackled during The World Forum on Enterprise and the Environment 2011”.