For many of us, the festive season enables a reconnection with nature whether an escape into the depths of the countryside or walks on the Heath on wintry days. Or for those who made it to the movies this year, Avatar shows the delight of nature. So I’m going to kick off this year on what we can do at a local level to safeguard nature.

The good news is that in December 2022, through the new Kunming - Montreal Agreement on Biodiversity countries agreed to: conserve 30% of the world’s land and 30% of the ocean by 2030. Richer countries agreed to provide poorer countries with £30bn to help conserve biodiversity

But why does this matter? We’ve witnessed a 69% decline in wildlife populations between 1970 and 2018 (WWF/Zoological Society London). It’s not only a reduction in abundance, but around 1 million species are threatened with extinction. Many ecosystems will no longer be resilient; they will be at risk of collapse. The Amazon turning into grassland or wetlands in this country devoid of birds is a worrying thought.

Ham & High: Maya de Souza gives tips on protecting the ecosystemMaya de Souza gives tips on protecting the ecosystem (Image: Maya de Souza)

Why does this happen? Mainly because of land-use change – new grazing land and soya production to fatten up livestock for wealthier consumers as well as food for populations worldwide. It’s also about that other stuff we buy – mining, chemical usage, textile production as well as effluent from wastewater pollute water and soils. But experts at WWF advise that if climate change continues, then in the end climate change will be the biggest cause of decline.

So what can we do locally? Here are my top four ideas for the new year.

  • Eating more locally produced vegetables as well as plant or plant-based protein will help. Diets dependent on animals and feed crops to feed those animals put pressure on land. This switch isn’t expensive; legumes in particular are great value for money.
  • Buy pre-used stuff, hire rather than buy, or even have things repaired. This week’s Economist covers the boom in these businesses. Also do check if the timber and other products you are buying are from a sustainable source.
  • Work on reducing and supporting the reduction of carbon emissions from your heating and fuel for your car. The problems of nature degradation and climate change are inter-connected.
  • Finally, we can make our own ecosystems resilient, from protecting wetlands and forests, to using urban gardens as stores of nature. There are plenty of groups to get involved in from Transition Town Groups to London Wildlife Trust.

We need to keep our eyes on the bigger picture and remember that we are part of the problem as the impacts arise from how we consume but we are also part of the solution.

By making changes in our own behaviour as consumers and also supporting healthier ecosystems locally, we can tread more lightly on the earth.

Maya de Souza is an environmental campaigner and chair of the Dartmouth Park Neighbourhood Forum.