Harry Biggs, of South African National Parks, was at the recent Diversitas conference in Cape Town, and summarized his impressions on the conference web site: What I learnt from the Diversitas conference.. The stuff we wanted to hear:
Achim Steiner (now Exec Director UNEP) spent his keynote talking about how development and conservation have to, and can, find constructive mutuality. He is concerned that much of the renewed development drive is actually re-initiating old formulae which are not sustainable. At the meeting there was considerable emphasis on appropriate agro-biodiversity and dove-tailing of needs. He also feels that as a community we still see climate change (whatever we think about it) as a hindrance or competitive force to our agenda, rather than as an opportunity.
Here’s Steiner’s speech. Was anyone else listening?