[Coral-List] new paper about human overpopulation

[mark at mdspalding.co.uk]

I was pleased to read Peter's piece and the link to the turning point in
population numbers in the now not-so-distant future it's important to take a
reality check here

 

1 - Reducing population growth hasn't really been achieved by the
conservation community. With a few exceptions (such as the wonderful Blue
Ventures group in Madagascar) we rarely take on female liberation,
reproductive health and coral reef conservation all together.

2 - Its not going to make any difference at all if we don't deal with
"affluenza". Almost every person reading this has an above average impact,
utterly unsustainable. We could halve the human population, but if we bought
them all "up" to our standards it would still signal the end of most of what
we all hold dear. 

3 - But to try and remain optimistic we, as individuals, need to focus on
what we are particularly skilled at. In the case of readers here it's a mix
of stuff, but includes the small details around one particular ecosystem. We
have to buy time for coral reefs by trying everything: reducing local
threats and working on optimal restoration efforts is part of it, so is
campaigning, educating, and influencing policy every way we can. 

 

(and we should be aware that we probably also have an outside influence on
those we live with, work with and talk to, so walking the walk is also
pretty important.)

 

Best fishes!

Mark

 

Mark D Spalding, PhD

Senior Marine Scientist, Protect Team,

The Nature Conservancy

and

Honorary Research Fellow, University of Cambridge

Home office: Siena, Italy

 

 

 

 

From: Peter Sale <sale at uwindsor.ca <mailto:sale at uwindsor.ca> >

To: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov <mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
" <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov <mailto:coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> >,

              Douglas Fenner <douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
<mailto:douglasfennertassi at gmail.com> >, "Alina Szmant

              (szmanta at ec.rr.com <mailto:szmanta at ec.rr.com> )"
<szmanta at ec.rr.com <mailto:szmanta at ec.rr.com> >

Subject: Re: [Coral-List] new paper about human overpopulation

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Mark D Spalding, PhD

Senior Marine Scientist, Protect Team,

The Nature Conservancy

and

Honorary Research Fellow, University of Cambridge

Home office: Siena, Italy

E:  <mailto:mspalding at tnc.org> mspalding at tnc.org