While we are proud of the successes you will read about throughout this report, we know that together we can—and we must—do more.
A first step is to recognize this fundamental truth: All people and all societies depend on the Earth’s natural bounty for survival. Whether you call it biodiversity or creation, the sum of life on our planet gives us the fresh water, clean air, food, medicines, productive soils, pollinators and other sustenance we need.
We must understand that the Earth is under increasing pressure because of us. Human behaviors that cause habitat destruction and over-consumption of resources stand as tall reminders that we are a long way from living and embracing a sustainable, “do no harm” ethic that cherishes this wondrous planet.
Tallest among these reminders is climate change. As we continue to make the inroads into protecting critical habitats on land and in the ocean, climate change has the power to undo all that we have accomplished. Today, CI has a long-term strategic plan to address the impacts of climate change. For example, much of our scientific time and talent is dedicated to monitoring the world’s tropical rain forests, of which less than 50 percent remain. Clearing of these forests accounts for as much as 25 percent of the total carbon emissions—twice as much carbon as all of the world’s cars and trucks. Because these forests and their soils are among the Earth’s largest repositories of carbon, our efforts to protect them are crucial to climate regulation for the entire planet. We have established a robust carbon-offset program which empowers both companies and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint by investing in projects that protect forests and support communities. In 2006 alone, CI and partners protected 9 million acres of critical landscapes.
Earth’s oceans are also feeling the effects of human activities. High-tech trawlers are strip-mining marine life and destroying delicate habitats with far reaching consequences. More than 90 percent of large predatory fish have disappeared, including cod, swordfish, tuna, shark, marlin and others. Climate change is playing an exacerbating role, causing sea-level rise, warming waters, altered ocean chemistry, and sizable changes to polar ice caps. CI has an ambitious plan to establish 20 new marine protected areas and to implement conservation management plans in five seascapes, protecting several of the world’s most at-risk marine areas.
CI continues to be a world leader in helping businesses embrace sustainable practices across a broad range of industries and environmental issues. This year, CI forged a landmark partnership with Wal-Mart that is revolutionizing the market, as 60,000 global vendors use their ingenuity to reach new “green” benchmarks set by this industry leader. Today, throughout the business world, this new environmental thinking is entering business planning at the highest levels.
And in China, we are working closely with the government to explore and implement conservation-sensitive planning and development alternatives to mitigate the effects of their unprecedented and exponential economic growth. In addition to growing efforts to control carbon emissions, CI and China are working together to address many environmental threats, including a critical shortage of fresh water in a country where 70 percent of rivers are polluted and water tables have fallen by as much as 10 feet a year. Our goal is to help China meet key sustainability benchmarks and show the world that economic expansion does not have to come at the expense of a healthy Earth.
Core to CI’s beliefs is the idea that each of us can make a difference. Every person, business, and government can and must act in the best interest of their environment. Adopting a sustainable ethic across every sector of society—one that cherishes our Earth and all it provides—is central to changing our behavior and affecting lasting progress.
We believe there is still time to lessen the overall impact of climate change and to address other critical conservation issues. And we have a plan.
Our Future for Life Campaign is an unprecedented global conservation initiative to address climate change and secure threatened species, habitats, landscapes, and seascapes while making conservation a priority for people everywhere. In the spirit of our founding, it is a vision for conservation on a scale never before achieved. With your help, we have every confidence we can reach these goals.
We are immensely grateful to our many partners and supporters for what we have achieved in the past 20 years. Our experience gives us a clear vision for the future—one that ensures a vibrant, abundant Earth for generations to come.
Please join us in this vital effort.
Peter A. Seligmann, Chairman and CEO
Russell A. Mittermeier, President