From climate change mitigation to enhanced health and wellbeing, nature has the answers to many of society’s most pressing challenges. On International Biodiversity Day, Rewilding Europe’s latest annual review shows how investing in wild nature can make the world more livable for everyone.
Seizing the moment
Coinciding with International Day for Biological Diversity, which this year has the theme “solutions are in nature”, Rewilding Europe is today proud to launch its Annual Review 2019. The beautifully illustrated, 101-page publication makes a compelling case for investing in the recovery of wild nature – right now – as a means of countering some of the world’s greatest challenges.
As outlined in the Call to Action for a Wilder Europe released last December, and reinforced by this latest annual review, there has never been a greater need to drive forward and scale-up practical rewilding.
“At Rewilding Europe, we are more motivated than ever to demonstrate how nature recovery, based on rewilding principles, is one of the most effective, immediate and economically viable ways of addressing issues such as climate change and biodiversity decline,” says Rewilding Europe Managing Director Frans Schepers. “From citizens and businesspeople to policymakers and scientists, I warmly invite everyone to read and share this publication.”
Why and how
As well as presenting key results from all eight of Rewilding Europe’s operational areas in 2019, the Rewilding Europe Annual Review 2019 offers readers an insightful mix of ten feature stories. These not only set out why we need to scale up rewilding but outline how we can do it too.
Story topics include the rewilding of forests, the role of technology in rewilding, European green infrastructure development, and a piece on the climate emergency. There are also articles detailing Rewilding Europe’s on-the-ground efforts in the Danube Delta (Romania, Ukraine and Moldova), Greater Côa Valley (Portugal) and Central Apennines (Italy), and the positive results they are generating.
These stories are complemented by two pieces illustrating the human side of rewilding, detailing its transformative impact on the lives of Europeans, and its ability to engage and inspire the younger generation.
A tenth article showcases the trio of rewilding-related media productions created in 2019, including Europe’s New Wild, a stunning six-part television series co-produced by Rewilding Europe and set to air in September 2020.
“Against the backdrop of Covid-19, an awareness that we can’t return to how things were before the pandemic, and the launch of the European Green Deal, this annual review presents a clear vision for Europe,” says Frans Schepers. “As we look ahead to the remainder of 2020 and beyond, the need for more wild nature has never been more evident.”