Whether you work on a farm, in a factory or in an office, your livelihood depends on nature.
But nature’s ability to provide for us is being stretched to its limit. It’s more than an environmental problem. It’s an economic problem, too.
Nature is the foundation of every economy on Earth. In the developing world, forest resources often account for 20–40% of a family’s annual income, and forests are the source of livelihoods for more than 1.6 billion people worldwide. More than 60% of the world’s working poor are employed in the agricultural sector.
Nature provides construction materials for the buildings where people live, work, play and worship — and for tens of millions of construction jobs worldwide. What’s more, forest products account for about 1% of the world’s gross domestic product, and the total global market for commercial wood products — including logs, lumber, panels, pulp and paper — is more than US$ 200 billion per year.
Nature provides the food we eat, and getting this food to our tables is a major source of jobs around the world. One out of every three global workers is employed in an agricultural job, with millions more employed in fishing. Many local indigenous communities also harvest natural products, like coffee, honey, mushrooms, tagua nuts and açai berries, as their primary sources of income.
Almost 50% of the world's land area is used for agriculture, yet by 2050 global demand for food will double. Converting vital forests and other landscapes to farms to meet this demand, rather than using the existing farmland more efficiently, threatens the natural resources that we all depend on for our livelihoods and incomes.
More than 11 million tons of fish caught each year come from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. That’s a market value of more than US$ 10 billion annually. In addition to harming fish populations, such fishing creates unfair market competition for fishermen who follow sustainable practices.
By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. The agriculture industry alone uses nearly 70% of the fresh water available to humanity and accounts for one-third of the world’s jobs. Disruptions to the water supply could bring about disruptions to people’s livelihoods.
At Conservation International, we know that healthy ecosystems are an essential foundation for thriving economies. We’re providing innovative tools and knowledge to help governments, companies and communities make decisions that will benefit humanity now and for generations to come. From promoting forest-friendly activities like producing shade-grown coffee or participating in ecotourism to helping local communities adopt more sustainable fishing practices, Conservation International is helping protect natural resources and boost income for local communities.
Small-scale farmers in Central America are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Conservation International and our partners are working on the ground to identify and test strategies that can help these farmers adapt so their farms can continue to generate income.
In areas of northern Sumatra facing the pressures of deforestation, Conservation International is working with USAID, the Indonesian government and the Walton Family Foundation to help local communities find economic alternatives to cutting down forests.
Conservation International and our partners have created the first global, comprehensive measure of the health of the ocean — including how well it provides livelihoods and income for people around the world.
Conservation International works to find innovative, successful and lasting ways to fund conservation — benefiting communities financially while protecting the planet.
Conservation International has worked with local communities to eliminate illegal fishing — and improve local people's incomes — in several marine protected areas.
Your support could fund projects like an ecotourism lodge in Bolivia, efficient cookstoves on Tonle Sap Lake or guard dogs to protect ranchers’ sheep from leopards in South Africa.
Albino Neves, a Brazilian fisherman, relies on local fisheries to...
Look for the logos of the Forest Stewardship Council and the Marine Stewardship Council when shopping for wood and seafood products.
Tell the world that no matter where you work, your livelihood depends on nature.
