WWF Living Planet Report
WWF recently released their 2008 Living Planet Report that lays out a compelling case for how interconnected our activities are with the rest of the earth, and the impact we in our process of extracting and consuming the earth’s resources are having.
The Living Planet Report is WWF’s periodic update on the state of the world’s ecosystems.
It describes the changing state of global biodiversity and the pressure on the biosphere arising from human consumption of natural resources.It is built around two indicators:
* the Living Planet Index, which reflects the health of the planet’s ecosystems; and
* the Ecological Footprint, which shows the extent of human demand on these ecosystems.
Best shown in the picture before, there are immediate and direct ties that we can make when looking at the interconnected role of how humans and nature interact .
When reading the report, spend some time on the first few pages to make sure you understand the terms, how the measurements were made, and how to read the graphs. There are a lot of graphic examples that present some stunning data, but without knowing how to read the graphs it may not have the intended impact or illicit the intended reactions.
As with many reports I have seen lately, where I am left a bit dissapointed is that this report is compelling. It tells a story that is important, and then it does little to drive action. When speaking with people about the problems we are facing, there is a recognition that things are out of balance and that things need to be done.. but very few people feel that they have the ability to actually do anything as individuals.. and often times as organizations.
So, for my friends at WWF. Add a follow up to this on your site about how people can get involved. Draw a line between the products we buy, the cars we drive, and the amount of waste we generate… and reinforce the fact that individuals (when they act in a herd) can make a difference, can drive change, and can assist in the rebalancing act.
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