Conservation Connections – Peter H. Raven, Celebrated Botanist and Conservationist – Conservation Can't Wait—A Serious Look at Climate Change, Population, and Future Scenarios

Peter H. Raven, internationally celebrated Botanist, and Conservationist provides an interesting overview of his life's work in the life sciences.

Raven has spent the better part of his life advocating for conservation, educating the public about the grave threats to Earth's biodiversity. His work and research are so significant that Time magazine hailed him as a "Hero for the Planet." For four decades, Raven headed the Missouri Botanical Garden, a distinguished institution and world-class center for the advancement of conservation, botanical research, and education, and known worldwide for its horticulture display. Raven is currently President Emeritus of the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Raven discusses his long background and current work promoting major scientific projects, from plant observation and study to conservation efforts. Raven discusses his decades of work and interest in the tropical rainforests, which house more species than anywhere else on Earth. He states that there are incredibly important implications for climate and that we need to preserve the trees and their interactions, and the storage of carbon within them to prevent global warming. He discusses the potential problems in detail, and that we effectively have about two generations to correct the problems.

The Missouri Botanical Garden conservationist discusses consumption and population growth, and how it all affects preserved areas. Clearly, not enough is being done as our actions have demonstrated that preserved areas are not a high priority, unfortunately. Raven talks about the increasing population globally, and how it is important to empower women worldwide. As women are often ignored, Raven states, their true talents—that could be incredibly significant in the search for global crisis solutions—are wasted. He underscores the stupidity of ignoring women and the potentially massive contribution they could bring to global problems and issues.

Raven continues by discussing how we can empower smaller nations to help themselves, and form alliances to think globally regarding solutions to the world's problems. By helping to strengthen their infrastructure they can get more benefits from their own productivity. Additionally, Raven talks about the progress they are making globally, in agriculture and other areas. And he talks about the importance of social justice initiatives, helping some of the poorest countries in the world to rise up out of poverty and stabilize themselves.

As he states, there are ways we can help, by consuming less, recycling, living closer to our jobs, etc. But ultimately, the moral argument is what could really change things… essentially we all need to acknowledge that these are the right things to do, to make a difference, to help solve the poverty problem, and work toward conservation on a global scale.