Biodiversity is declining. Conservation works. So what's holding us back?

We hear a lot about climate change, but far less about another global environmental crisis: biodiversity loss. Species are disappearing, ecosystems are changing and nature is under growing pressure—yet the biodiversity crisis receives much less media attention.Why aren’t we talking about it more? And could better storytelling, including more coverage of conservation successes, help turn concern about nature into action?In this episode of Nature Signals, we explore why the biodiversity crisis is overlooked—and why there are reasons for both urgency and hope.Biodiversity loss is serious, but the story isn't all doom and gloom. Conservation works—and those success stories may be some of the most important environmental stories we can tell.You can read the written article on my website here.Key points:0:56 - We hardly hear about conservation successes.2:10 - Nature needs our help.3:46 - Neglect by the media.5:16 - Climate change vs. biodiversity loss?6:53 - The public generally values nature.7:51 - How to deliver the message. Links to resources:·       United Nations, 5/6/2019: UN report: Nature’s dangerous decline ‘unprecedented;’ species extinction rates ‘accelerating.‘·       International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.·       ScienceDaily, 1/20/2012: Biodiversity crisis is worse than climate change, experts say.·       Legagneux et al., 2018: Our house is burning: Discrepancy in climate change vs. biodiversity coverage in the media as compared to scientific literature.·       Zaccai and Adams, 2012: How far are biodiversity loss and climate change similar as policy issues?·       Lees, Attwood and Phalan, 2020: Biodiversity scientists must fight the creeping rise of extinction denial.·       United Nations, 2024: World must act faster to protect 30% of the planet by 2030.·       The Guardian, 9/16/2010: Public awareness of the biodiversity crisis is virtually non-existent.·       World Economic Forum, 2026: Global Risks Report 2026.·       UK Government, 2026: Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security. A national security assessment.·       Center for Biological Diversity: The elements of biodiversity.·       The Nature Conservancy, 2022: America the Beautiful.·       The Conversation, 4/28/2019, by Tanya Latty and Timothy Lee: How many species on Earth? Why that’s a simple question but hard to answer.·       Michigan Natural Features Inventory, 2008: Biodiversity assessment of Michigan technical report.·       Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, 2014: Status and trends of Michigan’s wetlands: Pre-European settlement to 2005. Get full access to Nature Signals at ruththornton.substack.com/subscribe