From your back garden to the vast depths of the oceans, wild places are absorbing carbon and helping to fix the climate crisis.
Why Wild Fixes?
The world is in a biodiversity and climate crisis: since 1970 we’ve lost 68% of wild species and are fast reaching climate tipping points from where it may be impossible to recover. This is an urgent and tragic situation, and one that threatens our survival as a species.
We need to give nature space to recover, but for this to be prioritised we have to increase society’s knowledge of biodiversity, climate science and the importance of nature-based solutions as a vital component in fixing our environmental problems.
What are nature-based solutions to climate change?
Nature-based solutions to climate change could make up 30% of the carbon absorption needed to mitigate climate change. When ecosystems are healthy they provide us with essential services including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, protecting water resources, decreasing air pollution and erosion, protecting coastlines from storms and increasing food security. Nature-based solutions involve protecting, restoring and sustainably managing ecosystems to make them more resilient, protect biodiversity and improve human wellbeing.
Forests are an example of a nature-based solution. They absorb carbon, clean air and water, protect against erosion and are home to 80% of terrestrial biodiversity. Deforestation and degradation contribute 13% of global CO2 emissions, making protecting forests a valuable and essential way to combat the climate and biodiversity crises.
Increasing society’s eco-literacy.
Tackling climate change and plummeting biodiversity is a job for everyone - we need to grow kids into adults who have a greater understanding of the issues and how we can solve them.
There are a number of ways we can do this: 1.) Instill in children a love for nature 2.) increase people’s overall scientific literacy and 3.) communicate the science.
One of the best ways to get adults who care for the environment is to instill a love for nature in them when they are young. This involves getting kids outside, familiar with nature and developing in them a sense of awe and wonder about the natural world.
We can live without robots but we can’t live without biodiversity
Loving nature isn’t enough, we need people with the skills to address the environmental issues we face today. A solid understanding of science is important to develop the critical thinking and problem solving needed to combat the climate crisis. We also desperately need to increase eco-literacy. There’s a strong focus on the technology aspect of S.T.E.M. but we need to prioritise biological and climate sciences: we can live without robots but we can’t live without biodiversity. Understanding why we need to protect biodiversity, the range of species; the complexities of the ecosystem, and why we need to protect at least 30% of the natural world is vital to ensuring the health of ourselves and the world.
However science by itself isn’t enough, humans respond to stories and we need S.T.E.M. to work with the arts and humanities to communicate the science through books, films, tv, music and art.
The purpose of Wild Fixes is to encourage a love of nature; create awe and wonder for the environment; increase eco-literacy and combine science and arts to communicate nature-based solutions to climate change.