Dr. Liz Hadly is a biologist studying how human activity and human caused climate change affect global biodiversity and ecosystem function. One policy Dr. Hadly’s research supports is the so-called 30x30 pledge to conserve 30 percent of both land and oceans by 2030, which California and United States made the promise to meet the target. At a recent California China Climate Institute discussion, she discussed preserving native biodiversity as a way of building climate resilience, with former California Governor Jerry Brown. For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/the-importance-of-merging-humans-and-nature-with-dr-liz-hadly-california-china-climate-institute/
For a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/the-importance-of-merging-humans-and-nature-with-dr-liz-hadly-california-china-climate-institute/
Hadley: Our present native vegetation is basically out of equilibrium with the climates of today. The more we think about engineering our way out of this, the more trouble we'll be in the more rapidly. You can't sacrifice biodiversity.
Ethan: That's Dr. Liz Hadley, professor in the Department of Biology at Stanford University. She discussed preserving native biodiversity as a way of building climate resilience, with former California Governor Jerry Brown at a recent California China Climate Institute.
Hadley: We need to make considerations for nature and the city. You know, our ability to understand nature, even at the structural level, is incredibly powerful. How can we foster the new species of this place in the future, communities of interacting birds and insects and plants.
Ethan: Dr. Hadley supports the climate solution of setting land aside from development for biodiversity, such as the goal in California of 30% by 2030 or even 50%.
Plants and animals and just life in general–you got to have a place for them to live out their lives. In California and a lot of places in the world, they're doing 30 by 30 – that's 30% by the year 2030. The more area you have. The more species can accumulate there.
Ethan: To hear more from Dr. Hadley, go to climatebreak.org or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Ethan Elkind and this was Climate Break.