Valuing nature

A recurring conversation at Timber Festival, either in the big tent, bars or campsite, has been how do we reverse the dramatic decline in wildlife and the loss and degradation of natural habitats. We know that the global climate system is changing on an unprecedented scale. We have created a society which struggles to reconcile its impacts and dependencies on the natural environment. Our inability to properly understand and account for the costs of our impacts, or the value the environment provides to us, has led to a systematic omission of the environment from our decision-making processes. The result is a short-term focus on immediate economic development at the expense of our long-term wellbeing. The impacts of such thinking are exemplified by the growing threat of catastrophic climate breakdown and a sixth mass extinction event.