In our pursuit of economic growth, we often end up harming the natural world around us. Of course, there will always be tradeoffs -- resources are needed to feed, clothe, and house the people on this planet, and it is understandable that a certain amount of pollution will also be generated in the course of industrial activity.
However, we need to have perspective on just how much damage we are doing to the natural world, and we must be aware of the long-term repercussions of our actions. If we leave a severely degraded planet to our children and our children’s children, then we all lose.
It is time to understand the true value of nature, and the importance of conservation. To that end, it is not enough for governmental agencies and NGOs only to pay attention to nature. The private sector, which has proven itself so efficient in so many areas, should also be brought on board. According to the European Union, the contribution of nature to the global economy annually is more than $125 trillion: To that end, there are endless opportunities revolving around conservation and nature-based projects.
If we rampantly exploit nature without also protecting it for the future, soon it will stop paying dividends, and our economy, and quality of life, will suffer as a result. With the world facing the dire threat of climate change, and with global powers wasting time with shallow short-term goals rather than doing the needful, now more than ever, there is a need for the private sector to step in to finance conservation. A serious conversation about conservation is now well worth having, because no good can come of harming the eco-system of the very planet we rely on for our survival.
