HORIZONTAL PICTURE

W. Dominick MachM.S. Candidate Sustainable Environmental Systems

Programs for Sustainable Planning and Development Pratt InstituteMay 10th, 2017

Advisors: Alec Appelbaum and Jaime Stein

Crisis & Opportunity: The Challenges of Messaging on Biodiversity Loss

Overview of Biodiversity

The Agenda

Brazil as Linchpin to Avaaz’s strategy

Avaaz and why this issue?

Client Recommendations

Conclusions

Source: WWF

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

In all of Earth’s History, there have been five mass extinction events.

Now, we’re on the verge of a sixth extinction.

Source: CNN

67% DeclineWildlife populations have already shown a concerning decline, on average by 58 per cent since 1970 and are likely to reach 67 per cent by 2020.

Sixth Mass Extinction?

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

100x Higher

Source: WWF

CO2 in the atmosphere is changing the climate and

challenging species ability to adapt

Climate Change

Pollution can make the environment unsuitable for food or

reproductive performance.

Pollution

Caused by agriculture, logging, transportation, residential and and commercial development, energy production and mining,

Habitat Loss

Ivory tradePoaching

Why is this happening?

Invasive species can becomes predators for native species. Disease can be spread by humans from one part of the globe to the next.

Invasive species and disease

Overfishing, bycatching, hunting or harvesting.

Species overexploitation

The human population is exploding like never before

Source: WWF

HUMANS

The Industrial Revolution changed our relationship to the Earth

We’re heating up the planet by burning fossil fuels and chopping down rainforests.

Human activity has transformed between a third and half of the land surface of the planet

W h y S h o u l d W e C a r e ?

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: Avaaz

Source: AvaazSource: Avaaz

Source: Dominick Mach

Source: Dominick Mach

Online AdvocacyOrganization

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

Client:

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

Source: Avaaz

Source: Avaaz

Source: Avaaz

Canada: 1.1 million

United States: 2.3 million

Avaaz Membership WorldwideBrazil: 9.8 million

France: 4.1 million

Germany: 2.2 million

Italy: 2.1 million

Avaaz Campaigning

Avaaz members overwhelmingly support campaigning to protect biodiversity

Climate Change has been the organization’s longest running andmost successful campaign. Avaaz co-organized the People’s Climate March in 2014.

Source: Avaaz

Applies global advocacy to issues such as, conflict resolution, media reform and peace in the Middle East.

Why biodiversity now?

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.

Source: Dominick Mach

Brazil as Biodiversity Champion?

Brazil is considered to have the greatest biodiversity of any country on earthAmazon 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

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.

Threats to Brazil’s 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

Avaaz & Brazil

More than 20 legislative proposals were brought up by law-makers in the Brazilian Congress to rescind regulations

governing activities such as building roads and hydroelectric dams or expanding agricultural businesses.

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.

Source: Avaaz

Source: Avaaz

One proposed constitutional amendment would ensure approval of a project once its developers have submitted an environmental-impact analysis — essentially eliminating government review

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Client Recommendations

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.

One of the main challenges of campaigning on biodiversity conservation is connecting this hugely complicated issue to an urgency of action to members.

Source: Avaaz

People’s Biodiversity MarchIn 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 2050Setting 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 OrganizationAvaaz 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.

Latin America as Linchpin of Global BiodiversityAvaaz 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.

Target Deforestation and DegradationAnother 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. Expand Campaigns for Marine Protected Areas

Avaaz ChinaChina 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 2020.”

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.

C o n c l u s i o n s

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: Avaaz

Source: Avaaz

Source: Take Part

Source: Bright Hub

The End

QUESTIONS?

Source: Dominick Mach Source: Dominick Mach Source: Dominick Mach Source: WWF