Please note: This video was one of a number of presentations from the webinar, and in order to allow each video to be watched individually, they all have the same 30 second introduction to provide the required context.
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Read the video transcript:
The subject of the webinar today is animating the carbon cycle. It really explores the very important link between biodiversity and climate. And the goal of this webinar is to launch a new global initiative to launch nature and climate, and set the first global target for restoration and rewilding to address this accelerating climate breakdown.
To start us off, Magnus Sylvén with Karl Wagner, our co directors of the Global Rewilding Alliance. We’re going to ask Magnus to set the framework for our discussions today in this role with the Global Rewilding Alliance. Magnus continues a very, very distinguished career in conservation, which not only with the Wild foundation, but of course with rewilding Europe, one of our great colleagues, and also with WWF International. Magnus, I’ll ask you to set the framework for us, please. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Vance. I hope it works and that the screen is up. I would really say a warm welcome to everybody. I mean, it’s great that you decided to join us today. My name is as Vance said Magnus Sylvén. I’m co-director of the Global Reviling alliance and I’ve been invited today with a few slides to set the scene for this webinar today. Actually, the webinar consists of two main pillars. The first one is to present a global restoration target for meeting the 1.5 degree climate goal. And the second pillar is basically to introduce the concept of animating the carbon cycle, very important component or rewiring in the climate solution. So basically by agreeing on a global restoration target for climate mitigation, that enables us to actually define what needs to be done, where on the planet to have the largest impact amid the 1.5 degree. And today, Karl Burkart from one Earth will present the target to us. Another concept that will be discussed today is animating the carbon cycle. What do we mean by that?
Actually, it’s about teaming up with wildlife to basically, basically create healthy populations of wild animal species that are enabled to actually control ecosystems, to enhance the capture and storage of carbon. And we have two very prominent experts on this today. It’s Oswald Schmitz from the Yale School of the Environment. And it’s Steen Lutz from the Grid-Arendal. And they will present to you today more about the concept and also give you examples across the world. So, animating the carbon cycle is basically the most efficient key to unlock the door between restoring nature and climate mitigation. So basically, to optimise the positive impact or reviling and animating the carbon cycle, we need six additional actions. The first one is basically to radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And a recent report from UNEP says we need annually to reduce emissions by 7.6%.
The second preconditions are basically that we protect all what remains of wild nature on the planet, both on land and in the sea. However, recent study, I mean, shows that land, only 2.9% of what is 20% left of wild areas are actually ecologically functional, with all the keystone species present. So, this rotation might actually be the same on the oceans. So, this will probably require rewilding of many wild places. And today Russell Mittermeier from Rewild will tell us more about the critical need of protecting the best. Another important aspect is actually to stop particular damaging activities such as bottom trawling and industrial logging. And just to give you an example of from bottom trawling, this has a tremendous negative impact on nature and the climate. Bottleneck trawling actually damaged the sediments. And every year about 1.5 gigaton of carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere, which is more than the global emissions from Germany. And even worse, I mean the decline of fish populations, like in the UK, due to bottom trawling, 94% of the fish population have declined. And then also the bottom trawling actually wipes out the whole of ecosystems like hell forest. But there is hope.
Today we will learn from Henri Brocklebank, Sussex Wildlife Trust, how a ban or trawling at the UK south coast might enable the return of kelp forest, wildlife and blue carbon, with a 71% decline of shock since 1970. As an example, we must urgently turn the negative trends of most climate species into positive but strongly regulate against damaging fisheries in international wildlife trade and so on. Sharks also has an image problem. If we start referring to them as well as other conflict species like wolves as climate species, this might help to improve their reputation.
Chris Tompkins today from Tompkins Conservation will inform us on the opportunities of bringing back keystone species in Argentina, which are very crucial for animating the carbon cycle. And we need much more money for nature-based solutions. Currently, only 2% of climate funding goes to nature. So, we seriously neglect the importance of nature for the climate and we must find new avenues and let’s heal the planet together. And we need to put human face on rewilding and animating the climate carbon cycle. Melina Sakiyama from the global youth biodiversity network today will tell us about the need for working across generations, interlinked nature and climate and mobilised young generation for rewilding the planet. So, to stay below the 1.5 degree we need to require, there is the proposed target of 150 gigatonne. And that’s actually only slightly less than the 165 gigatonne of carbon already stored in all intact forests, grasslands and wetlands of Brazil. So, we have a tremendous task in front of us. But it’s clear we can’t solve the climate crisis without protecting and rewilding the planet. Thank you so much for your attention.
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