“Our impact on the planet is equivalent to meeting the needs of a 13-tonne organism,” says Miguel Bastos Araújo, 2018 Pessoa Prize Winner.
In an new interview, Miguel Bastos Araújo discusses how consumers can reduce their ecological footprint, the effectiveness of Portugal’s protected areas in preserving biodiversity, and the role of private landowners in conservation efforts.
He highlights critical challenges, including:
- The need to align Portugal’s classified land with strict biodiversity goals.
- Incentivizing private landowners through tax benefits and funding for conservation management.
- Addressing systemic issues in managing protected areas due to the predominance of private landownership (97% in Portugal).
Araújo also shares insights on the interconnectedness of biodiversity and human well-being, emphasizing the ethical and practical risks of species extinction, the global implications of Amazonian biodiversity loss, and the cascading effects of climate and biodiversity crises.
Finally, he underscores the “ant power” of individual consumer choices, advocating for better product certifications and environmental impact policies to empower informed decisions.
You can read the full interview here, where Araújo delves deeper into these urgent topics.