Effective approaches must encompass measures based on both science and emotion, and channel the energy, knowledge, motivation, time and money of the millions of people around the world who care about nature towards conservation objectives. Future generations have a similar right to know and enjoy them and to choose to use them or not. Our religious beliefs should have a critical impact on our attitude towards nature conservation. The perception of nature may vary from one faith to another but, ultimately, all religions unite in conserving biodiversity. They should enhance and expand precepts and initiatives to translate this into everyday actions by the faithful.
Education is also vital.
Conserving biodiversity must be based both on preserving traditional knowledge and on modern understanding. These require basic schooling and capacity-building. These children, when they grow up, will be ill-equipped to make crucial choices about resource consumption and reproduction. We must encourage schools and universities in every country to include awareness-building in their curricula and to promote programmes to help make humanity the guardian, rather than the predator, of biodiversity. All people derive comfort and delight from the diversity of nature and the miracles of life.