HORIZONTAL PICTURE. Crisis & Opportunity: The Challenges of Messaging on Biodiversity Loss

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1 HORIZONTAL PICTURE Crisis & Opportunity: The Challenges of Messaging on Biodiversity Loss W. Dominick Mach M.S. Candidate Sustainable Environmental Systems Programs for Sustainable Planning and Development Pratt Institute May 10th, 2017 Advisors: Alec Appelbaum and Jaime Stein

2 The Agenda Source: WWF Overview of Biodiversity Avaaz and why this issue? Brazil as Linchpin to Avaaz s strategy Client Recommendations Conclusions

3 The facts and figures about Earth s biodiversity are shocking and present one of the greatest challenges of the twenty-first century. The biodiversity crisis is far worse than we think In pushing other species to extinction, humanity is busy sawing off the limb on which it perches Paul Ehrlich- American biologist

4 In all of Earth s History, there have been five mass extinction events. Source: CNN Now, we re on the verge of a sixth extinction.

5 Sixth Mass Extinction? Source: WWF 67% Decline 100x Higher Wildlife populations have already shown a concerning decline, on average by 58 per cent since 1970 and are likely to reach 67 per cent by This is the first time humans have caused anything like this. Species are going extinct at a rate that s roughly 100x higher than normal

6 Why is this happening? Climate Change CO2 in the atmosphere is changing the climate and challenging species ability to adapt Habitat Loss Caused by agriculture, logging, transportation, residential and and commercial development, energy production and mining, Pollution Pollution can make the environment unsuitable for food or reproductive performance. Species overexploitation Invasive species and disease Invasive species can becomes predators for native species. Disease can be spread by humans from one part of the globe to the next. Poaching Ivory trade Overfishing, bycatching, hunting or harvesting.

7 HUMANS The Industrial Revolution changed our relationship to the Earth Human activity has transformed between a third and half of the land surface of the planet The human population is exploding like never before We re heating up the planet by burning fossil fuels and chopping down rainforests. Source: WWF

8 Why Should We Care? Source: Dominick Mach If poaching rates continue, experts fear African elephants could disappear within 20 years. Orangutans are on the brink of extinction Bees are suffering from an unexplained colony collapse The monarch migration is in jeopardy Source: Dominick Mach

9 Client: Online Advocacy Organization Mission: organize citizens of all nations to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want. Platform for members to take action on pressing global, regional and national issues, from human rights and corruption to conflict and climate change

10 Client: 44 million members 344 million actions taken by members since 2007 Avaaz campaigns in 17 languages and the staff is based on six continents

11 Avaaz Membership Worldwide Brazil: 9.8 million Germany: 2.2 million France: 4.1 million United States: 2.3 million Canada: 1.1 million Italy: 2.1 million

12 Avaaz Campaigning Applies global advocacy to issues such as, conflict resolution, media reform and peace in the Middle East. Climate Change has been the organization s longest running and most successful campaign. Avaaz co-organized the People s Climate March in Avaaz members overwhelmingly support campaigning to protect biodiversity

13 Why biodiversity now? Source: Dominick Mach Consistently the issue that Avaaz members respond the most to and the issue that Avaaz feels that it can effect the most change on Avaaz members overwhelmingly support campaigning to protect biodiversity, the problem is that while members are engaged with individual campaigns for protecting biodiversity, protecting the orangutans in the Indonesian rainforest, or saving the remaining Black Rhinos in southern Africa, participation in campaigns drops off significantly when the campaigns shift to higher policy-levels asks.

14 Brazil as Biodiversity Champion? Brazil is considered to have the greatest biodiversity of any country on earth Amazon rainforest has 1/10th of all species of the world There are almost 4 million identified types of plants and species. With many more yet to be discovered. Brazil houses 25% of the world s freshwater Source: WWF

15 Threats to Brazil s Biodiversity Brazil is facing a major biodiversity crisis as it faces threats from mass deforestation and agricultural expansion It is also struggling through political disarray and deep financial issues and this has put into doubt the country's environmental laws and some of the commitment to protecting its biodiversity. The new government is seeking to weaken the country s environmental regulations, to clear the way for rapid development of energy facilities, mines and agriculture in the Amazon and beyond. There are a plethora of species of plants and animals that are found nowhere else in the world and if the government allows unfettered development we may lose these species forever. Source: WWF

16 Avaaz & Brazil More than 20 legislative proposals were brought up by lawmakers in the Brazilian Congress to rescind regulations governing activities such as building roads and hydroelectric dams or expanding agricultural businesses. One proposed constitutional amendment would ensure approval of a project once its developers have submitted an environmental-impact analysis essentially eliminating government review With strong memberships in Brazil and Western Europe, Avaaz can push national campaigns to members in these countries on issues of mega-farming, Western diets and Biodiversity.

17 TOP PICTURE Break slide Break slide Client Recommendations One of the main challenges of campaigning on biodiversity conservation is connecting this hugely complicated issue to an urgency of action to members. Advocacy and campaigning organizations too often use shock and awe tactics. The idea is that the member is shocked into taking action on a campaign and goes off and does something to save the planet.

18 People s Biodiversity March In 2018 and 2020, Avaaz and other advocacy groups should once again mobilize the People s Climate Movement for a People s March for Biodiversity and sound a loud message to the members of the Convention on Biological Diversity that people are engaged and care about a strong agreement to curb the loss of Biodiversity. 50% for 2050 Setting aside habitats for reserves, parks, and wildlife refuges is the top goal for Avaaz s biodiversity work: Avaaz is arguing that 50% of total land mass must be set aside as reserves in order to protect global biodiversity. Mega-diverse Country Alliance Organization Avaaz has member millions of members in these seventeen countries. I am proposing that Avaaz target these countries to form an alliance agreement to protect and promote their diversity. This will specifically put the focus on these countries conservation and sustainable use efforts.

19 Target Deforestation and Degradation Another point of focus for Avaaz will be preventing deforestation. Deforestation is such a crucial issue when it comes to biodiversity. Deforestation continues to expand each year. Avaaz needs to focus more attention on national campaigns to stop deforestation and forest degradation, particularly focusing on Latin America. Avaaz China China needs to be at the forefront of the push to stem Global Biodiversity loss. This will need to start by China separating its economic growth from environmental degradation and incorporating biodiversity protection into its national plan. According to my interview with Avaaz s biodiversity head, one of the big takeaways from Cancun is China will host the CBD in Latin America as Linchpin of Global Biodiversity Avaaz has a strong and diverse membership throughout Latin America. Avaaz will need to engage with the governments of key Latin American countries, specifically focusing on contacts in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Argentina, Guatemala and especially Brazil. Expand Campaigns for Marine Protected Areas The vast majority of the Earth's oceans remain unexplored, and the diversity of marine life represents one of the greatest frontiers in modern science. Determining how to best manage and conserve marine resources in the face of human activities and environmental change is going to be hugely important in the coming years.

20 Conclusions Source: Bright Hub A future that in which human development does not equal environmental degradation International commitment/enforcement of biodiversity rules Connecting the complexity of global systems, especially at the UN level, for Avaaz members is key Environmental campaign messaging needs somehow to communicate to the other half of the population that doesn t fully realize how the environment affects them. Source: Take Part

21 Source: Dominick Mach Source: Dominick Mach Source: Dominick Mach Source: WWF The End QUESTIONS?