Image from UNESCO/elhambre https://www.unesco.org/en/mab/wnbr/about
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The State of the Planet
The State of the Planet
Our biosphere, the layer of roughly 12 miles/20 kms around the planet where life can thrive, is a complex living system. It is the result of over 4 billion years of evolution. We don't fully understand all the elements, processes, or connections that have shaped our planet to become the living system that we know today. We cannot replicate it or improve it. For that simple reason, we should not continue to change or "manage" all our natural systems but safeguard what is left of them, and restore enough to rebalance Earth systems processes.
Humans have modified the surface of the Earth through farming, logging, mining, urbanization, industry, and more. 95% of the Earth's surface today has some indication of human modification, while 84% has multiple human impacts. These modifications have disrupted the natural processes of our planet which create a hospitable environment for biodiversity, including humanity. Today, we have breached seven out of nine Planetary Boundaries, or planetary systems that make life possible. These include:
Climate Change - we have disrupted the water cycle that drives the climate through: deforestation, by paving over lands and wetlands, and by releasing inordinate amounts of heat-trapping emissions into the atmosphere
Biosphere Integrity - the ecosystems that support biodiversity, clean air, water, soils have been compromised
Land System Change - we have converted forests, grasslands, wetlands to agriculture, fisheries, or urbanization
Freshwater Change - we have changed the flow of streams, rivers, and rootzone soil moisture levels
Biogeochemical Flows - we have altered the cycling of earth elements between living organisms, the atmosphere, and geology, including carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles
Novel Entities - we have released chemicals, plastics, PFAs, and more to now exceed safe limits
Ocean Acidification - the levels of carbon in the oceans now threaten marine life and coral reefs
As a result, we find ourselves in the triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity collapse (as we are nearing a human-caused mass extinction), and waste/pollution.
To restore Earth's balance:
1) We must protect the remaining natural ecosystems, expand, connect, rewild, and safeguard them so that natural processes can resume;
2) We must cut all emissions to zero (not net-zero); and,
3) We must convert our wasteful economy into a circular economy that recycles and re-uses all our waste.
We can act immediately to slow down the feedback loops that are accelerating current system's break-down.
The fastest and most impactful action is the restoration and permanent protection of land and waters.
Let's get to work, together!
Retaining existing ecosystems and restoring an additional 30% of converted land would mitigate 71% (+/-4%) of current extinctions and 49% of all the CO2 increase since the industrial revolution. In 2022, 196 countries signed the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework committing to the protection of 30% of all lands and waters by 2030 with the same aim: to reverse the sixth mass extinction.
Image Courtesy of PEER.org showing the proportion of wild mammals to humans and their domesticated mammals.
One species (humans) is taking over the biosphere. We need to step back and let the remaining (estimated to be up to) one trillion species recover. By removing biodiversity, we are setting up our own failure.
To quote E.O. Wilson: "Have we no shame?"
Protection v. Conservation
Protection v. Conservation
It's 2026 and we are very far from achieving the vital goal of protecting 30% of lands and waters by 2030. Global interests have focused very narrowly on emissions reductions, which since 1997, when market mechanisms came into play, have been derailed by the carbon trade. Corporations can simply purchase cheap and ineffective carbon credits instead of cleaning up their acts and call themselves "carbon neutral". These corporate interests and their powerful lobbies (fossil fuel, forestry, corn, beef, biomass, etc.) undercut real efforts and sideline elected officials with the result that emissions are still continuing to climb year after year. The carbon trade (including offsets and cap and trade) has become a cheap greenwashing scheme that undermines the goals of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5C.
The vital goal of protecting 30% of lands and waters has similarly been derailed. Rather than "preserving" or "protecting" lands and waters, they are being put into "conservation". Conservation protects areas from urbanization or otherwise being paved over, however they still allow for mining, logging, forest management, farming, fishing, and even traffic - none of which helps the recovery of Earth's processes or supports biodiversity. However, our governments are telling us that we are meeting the goals of land protection with lands "in conservation." A forest in conservation can still be logged and mined, fields can still be sprayed, lakes can be fished. The science is clear: we need truly protected areas that are left untrammeled, to self regulate. While degraded land may need initial restoration and rewilding, once restored, it should be permanently protected from any management or manipulation.
We have no time to waste and cannot wait for leadership to change. Work on the ground will come down to grassroots movements, NGOs, and dedicated individuals: you and me. There are many organizations and individuals who are protecting existing ecosystems, restoring and rewilding others, but they are not coordinating. Let us unite our efforts, follow the same guidelines, merge our accomplishments, and generate a powerful network of protected areas with corridors and buffer zones.
It is important that we distinguish between those NGOs that put lands and waters into preservation and those who put these into conservation. It is unfortunate that many of the "big green organizations" are working directly with industry to "conserve" lands. For example, organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and American Forests emphasize "No net forest cover loss". This means that an old or mature forest can be clearcut, as long as a field of baby-seedlings is planted somewhere else. However, the newly planted forest will take decades or centuries to provide the level of ecosystem services (habitat, fertile soil generation, air purification, water cycling and filtration, etc. ) which the mature forest provided - if it makes it. Climate change is starting to impede forest regeneration with increasing heat, floods, and droughts. Only gross forest cover gain should be considered.
Example of "No Net Forest Loss" - the mature forest on the left can be logged and replaced with an afforestation project of seedlings. Both are given the same ecosystem service value despite one offering enormous amounts of ecosystem services, while the other one offers none for decades to come. (Photo credit: D. Herasimchuck and S. Demiray)
These are examples of "forest restoration" and of "stream restoration" which often occur in lands and waters "in conservation." Perverse credits (mitigation credits, carbon credits, biodiversity credits, etc. ) often incentivize these misguided efforts.
(Photo credit: J. Maloof and R. Portanova)
Farmland, fisheries, recreational & urban parks, mines, logging operations, off- and on-road vehicle traffic: all count as areas "in conservation." We need lands in conservation, but we also need land and water that is left to its natural processes so that biodiversity and ecosystem processes can recover. (Photo credit: Unsplash and MI CREP program)
Step by step repair
Step by step repair
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has created the "Man and Biosphere" program. In it, the process called "zonation" is described whereby biosphere reserves protect an intact ecosystem and biodiversity hotspot "the core of a reserve". Around the core, a buffer is created to be restored and rewilded, expanding this core -this is necessary since we have manipulated most of Earth's surface already. Around this buffer, a transition zone is established where only compatible activities, such as regenerative farming, agroforestry, ecotourism, solar and wind energy generation, etc. can take place.
UNESCO: Man and Biosphere's Zonation
Image from UNESCO/elhambre https://www.unesco.org/en/mab/wnbr/about
Core areas (3)
They comprise a strictly protected zone that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation.
Buffer zones (2)
They surround or adjoin the core area(s), and are used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training and education.
Transition area (1)
The transition area is where communities foster socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable economic and human activities.
These cores, expanding buffers, and transition zones, need to be connected for optimal ecosystems services provision. The aim is to ensure fully protected cores and connected buffer zones for no less than 30%, ideally 50% of our planet's surface.
In addition, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has established guidelines for rewilding. These include letting nature lead; large scale restoration for the creation of wildlife corridors; continued monitoring; working within natural systems; and, placed-based and participatory rewilding- which means it's a locally led effort. The IUCN also requires no management in rewilded areas.
Many global efforts already exist, and many NGOs and individuals are working to preserve their land. It is time now to engage these organizations and stitch together all the protected lands and waters -and- with the guidance of dedicated scientists, expand, and connect the reserves through the zonation process. This guidance is provided on a global scale by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service (IPBES). On national scales, fora of independent scientists, such as the Alliance of World Scientists and the Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW) can be invited to lead the way in outlining the areas and that should be protected today for today's and tomorrow's bio-reserves.
Step 1 - Look at what already exists
Land Use: The U.S. dedicates 86.5 million acres to corn; 83.5 million acres to soybeans, 48.5 million acres to hay and around 845 million acres to livestock grazing. Up to half of the corn and soy ("cash crops") is dedicated to biodiesel and ethanol respectively, despite biodiesel having up to 86% of the emissions of regular diesel and ethanol having up to 24% more emissions than gasoline. This land can be used to expand and connect reserves. Since we also need to shift towards a more plant-based diet, we can reduce the hay and grazing acreage. It is high time to advocate for land restoration and return cash crop fields to what they previously were.
Public Lands: Public lands belong to the American people: national, state, county and municipal forests and parks, wetlands, lakes and streams. We must advocate for the permanent protection and expansion of natural areas, and move some out of active manipulation or "conservation" and into preservation/protection. Some lands may need restoration but the aim is to create protected cores and buffers to restore biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Instead of "working forests" and abandoned impervious surfaces, we can allow forests to evolve naturally and re-green open areas with native plant life and trees to restore the soil carbon sponge.
Local communities must take the lead in advocating for moving lands "in conservation" into permanent protection and expansion. The change of the management style in local forests, wetlands, and grasslands is mostly an administrative action by local and state governments.
Existing Reserves and Trusts: What existing efforts can we invite to join Down to Earth by simply tweaking their current approach to a zonation process? Unifying techniques, connecting existing reserves, buffering and rewilding existing areas would provide a solid basis for this movement. An important focus must be on restoring and connecting natural forests. Forests are host ot 80% of terrestrial life and are key to the hydrological cycle. Forests can bring rain inland from coastal areas, restore soil moisture, replenish the groundwater, cool the atmosphere and soil surface, and stabilize ecosystems.
Step 2 - Making it work
Guidance for connection and expansion: Sience must lead the way in determining what areas will become protected cores; how far buffers can be expanded to be added to the core; how to restore, rewild, and monitor these buffers and the transition zones, and more. Guidance must take into account predictions of the shifts in biota and ecosystems due to climate change. Local advocates, land owners, activists, and NGOs can then implement the work.
Payment: We are spending $trillions of taxpayer money on misguided and harmful incentives and subsidies such as those for fossil fuels, ethanol, biomass, corn, soy, beef, logging, carbon credits, etc. We must advocate leadership to reallocate these payments to purchasing large swaths of land, or incentivizing willing private land owners to permanently protect theirs. With the help of philanthropists, some land can also be outright acquired.
Step 3 - Take action!
Affirmative restoration and local participation: Local communities know their natural areas best and can work with the scientific community to ensure their key priorities are included in the Reserves. Local activist and restoration experts must also monitor Reserves and ensure that there is no encroachment, poaching, or land management happening.
Expansion, Education, Engagement: Engage your community, your friends, family, and elected officials. Show them what you are doing and explain why Down to Earth is necessary. The more people who know how to help repair our biosphere, the more will join in!
How to connect existing Reserves.
Image credit: Stanvliet & Coetzer (2020)
Are you Down to Earth?
Are you Down to Earth?
Help us create a grassroots movement that can repair our biosphere - join the global regreening!
See where your leadership stands on protecting 30% of all lands and waters by 2030. You can find U.S. guidelines here. Hold leadership accountable and ask your local municipal, county, and state governments to move natural public lands and waters into permanent protection without any forms of extraction (farming, logging, mining, fishing) or traffic so that biodiversity and ecosystem processes can recover.
What conservation organizations, land and water trusts, restoration, and rewilding organization operate in your area? Invite them to become founding members of Down to Earth by following the zonation process.
Actively support native landscape recovery (grasslands, chaparrals, wetlands, lakes, bays...) restoration and rewilding efforts in permanently protected areas. Restore nature in your own backyard.
Proudly show off any land restoration and protection you are taking part in: post it on social media, encourage others! Whether you're protecting your woodlands from management or turning your local park, your own yard, or farm into protected native meadows or pollinator patches, or whether you're participating in larger reforestation, rewilding, or regenerative projects, the more people observe this trend, the more people will join.
Educate your community and elected officials around the difference in "land conservation" and "land preservation" (and "No net loss"). Encourage your local and state governments to change the management style of forests, state parks, wetlands, etc. into passive management, instead of active management - allowing ecosystems to evlove naturally.
Educate your public officials: send emails, send pictures of areas "in conservation" v. "protected" areas. Take them for on-site walks. Provide testimony at local and state hearings.
Sign on below and invite others to join. We're just getting started!
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