Biodiversity in CrisisA Crucial Role for Business

Colin Meurk, Cerasela Stancu, Ann SmithFebruary 2007 – Sustainability Conference

Content

• The Biodiversity crisis – is it real?

• Business role & why

• Exemplars

• Threats

• Common threads

• What Business can do

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

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!

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 bats Ref: Kerry-Jane Wilson 2004

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

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

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.

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

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

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

Good news - the Exemplars

• Wine industry (land integral part of business)

• Trading on point of difference

Banrock Station

Vineyard

Supporting wetland

conservation

around the world

Conserving water

Travis Wetland

Tumara Park

Grove MillFrog symbolIwi PartnershipPo, PatakaKumara pits

Greening Waipara

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

Untouched World

OtukaikinoPartnership betweenNgai Tahu, DoC, Lamb & Hayward

BNZ & DoCKiwi Recovery Programme

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.

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

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)

Matai & totara seedlings under ‘fir

5-finger & mahoe under Douglas fir

Productive valuesin native timber

Options for Timber IndustryUse Sterile Hybrids

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.

We think the destruction is over, but …

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

How do we know when we’re there?

Viable wildlife, Legible Landscapes & Cultural Sculptures