WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, ESCULAPIO
The world is in the midst of an extinction crisis: one-quarter of all wildlife species are threatened with extinction, from the iconic Siberian tiger to the inconspicuous cricket frog. We have barely begun to appreciate the role most of these species play in maintaining healthy ecosystems, and thus promoting the survival of life on earth, and we are at risk of losing them forever. To make matters worse, the extinction rate is accelerating because few conservation projects have been able to tackle the fundamental driving force—namely unsustainable economic activities associated with habitat loss and overexploitation.
Our global economy is currently maintained through a complex of trade treaties, subsidies, tax breaks, and regulations that aim to stimulate economic growth and employment. This model assumes that growth ...
