Three parts of the debate, Civil Society, Commerce and Government
There are three elements in any global or regional conservation debate.
The public and civil society (that's us NGOs) is the biggest, but sometimes, it feels, the least powerful in our democratic system. Next in the league of 'power' is Government and business, which sometimes vie for the ‘honour’ of being the most influential between them.
Traditionally business has been seen as the enemy of the environment because the bottom line was always the final cash balance, but the truth is there are a new generation of commercial entities that whilst seeking to make money, are also defining their bottom line in terms of sustainability and the benefit they bring to the world around them.
You will know that we work with Sea Life and Merlin Entertainments and their strong commitment to conservation, but a new breed of conservation-led business people are developing outside of the classic coservation field. We have a great working relationship with the team at Profile Technology Services Ltd. The dedication and commitment of this team of business people has made real difference to WDCS conservation efforts.
In a similar vein companies such as Surfspots-GPS are ploughing a successful approach to linking industry (in this case the leisure industry) and conservation. Global Oceans LLC, owners of Surfspots-GPS, is a company that is marrying its love of surfing and extreme sports with a love of the ocean. Its message is one of conservation whilst appreciating the world’s oceans.
Yes, people will also make money, but it’s the kind of thinking that will change companies for the better and mean that conservation becomes part of our everyday lives, rather than a luxury.
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