Our planet is on the brink. Here's how we save it

The author asserts that current global production and consumption patterns are driving the planet toward an existential crisis, characterized by unprecedented biodiversity loss and climate instability. The text emphasizes that nature's services are the foundation of civilization and that economic growth must be decoupled from environmental harm. While acknowledging the role of technology—such as renewable energy, remote sensing, and blockchain—the author argues that a 'cultural revolution' and a shift toward 'triple bottom lines' (planet, people, and profit) are necessary. The document calls for financial institutions to redirect flows away from destructive practices and for businesses to integrate sustainability into their core operations to mitigate supply chain risks and ensure long-term viability.

• Current human activity and development models are causing severe degradation of Earth's natural systems, with the UN estimating that climate-related disasters have caused $1.4 trillion in worldwide damage over the last 10 years.
• Biodiversity and wildlife populations are in steep decline, with a 60% drop in wildlife populations across land, sea, and freshwater over the last 40 years, and a projected fall of two-thirds by 2020.
• Marine and forest ecosystems are under critical stress: 90% of global fish stocks are overfished, 50% of coral reefs have been lost in the last 30 years, and an additional 170 million hectares of deforestation are expected by 2030.
• There is a significant economic imperative for conservation, as WWF values key ocean assets at $24 trillion, with an annual value of goods and services totaling $2.5 trillion.
• The banking sector is currently failing to redirect financial flows away from destructive business practices or sufficiently fund the transition to a sustainable economy, such as sustainable water or renewable energy projects.

APA

Lambertini, M. (2018). Our planet is on the brink. Here's how we save it. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/it-s-time-to-bring-our-planet-back-from-the-brink-together-now/

Chicago

Lambertini, Marco. Our planet is on the brink. Here's how we save it. World Economic Forum, 2018. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/it-s-time-to-bring-our-planet-back-from-the-brink-together-now/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Lambertini |first1=Marco |title=Our planet is on the brink. Here's how we save it |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=21 January 2018 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/it-s-time-to-bring-our-planet-back-from-the-brink-together-now/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{lambertini2018our, author = {Lambertini, Marco}, title = {{Our planet is on the brink. Here's how we save it}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2018}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/it-s-time-to-bring-our-planet-back-from-the-brink-together-now/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }