At least half the planet must be protected if humanity is to survive the next century, declared conservationists at the conclusion of 9th World Wilderness Congress on Friday, Nov. 13.
"That is what the science said, this is what many aboriginal people say," said Harvey Locke, the Wild Foundation's vice president of conservation strategy.
"It's time to speak the simple truth: The whole thing unravels without protecting at least half of the planet," said Locke.
A leading economic report released in Brussels also on Nov. 13 pegged the cost of the ongoing loss and degradation of nature's "infrastructure" at a staggering 2.5 trillion to 4.5 trillion dollars a year.
The enormous challenges humanity faces this century - like a warming planet, freshwater shortages, pollution, declining fisheries, desertification and unsustainable food production - cannot be solved without protecting more than 50 percent of Earth's land and oceans, Locke ...