How One Earth is using tech solutions to protect biodiversity

Rising temperatures, more erratic weather, and the degradation of the natural world through deforestation and pollution are leading to an extinction event not seen on this planet for thousands of years. How can we arrest this slide and better protect global biodiversity?

Justin Winters, co-founder of environmental group One Earth, has a firm goal to help avoid disaster: “We need to protect and rejuvenate 50 percent of the Earth’s land and oceans.”

One Earth’s goal is to help limit the rise of global temperatures to 1.5°C, and to encourage a shift to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.

Working with the tools we have

That’s a lot of ground to cover, but it’s necessary if we are to maintain the planet as we know it. Justin also thinks that this target is a lot more achievable than it first appears.

“We can address the climate change challenge with existing technologies and nature-based solutions. This may not be exciting for tech innovators, but the solutions exist already,” Justin said.

One Earth funds projects under three pillars — science, philanthropy and communications — to help scale up charitable efforts and encourage collective action in addressing climate change.

Currently, less than half a percent of all global contributions to environmental and biodiversity causes support on-the-ground solutions, according to One Earth.

A more effective channel for this funding can ensure money and the capability for change is in the hands of empowered individuals and communities.

Finding the power in human connection

Justin noted that individuals have more influence over the direction we can take our planet in in the next decade than we think: “Not all the power resides in government. So much power resides in each of us too.”

At Web Summit 2021, that’s a point that actor and UNDP ambassador Nikolaj Coster-Waldau emphasised in his own talk on addressing the climate change crisis. “What we’re trying to do,” he said, “is say, ‘let’s focus on dialogue; let’s include everyone’. We’re all in this together.”

Reaching One Earth’s twin goals of 50 percent land and ocean rejuvenation and a 1.5°C cap on temperature rises could be achieved if everyone embraces small changes in their lifestyle, diet and spending habits, said Justin.

Perhaps stopping biodiversity loss across the world is as much a battle of mindset as grand social gestures.

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Main image of a beautiful natural beach: frank mckenna/Unsplash