Thousands of projects on six continents are endeavoring to cool our overheated planet and restore biodiversity loss by harnessing the power of photosynthesis, carbon sequestration and regeneration of degraded landscapes. Most of these efforts are not by governments or corporations, but by coalitions of researchers, farmers, fishermen, forest-dwellers, and village cooperatives. What would happen if this work to improve soils and fight climate warming were integrated into government policy on agriculture, fishing, water, and forests?
Atossa Soltani is the director of global strategy for the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Initiative, an alliance of 30 indigenous nations in Ecuador and Peru working to permanently protect 86 million acres of rainforests in one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth. She is also the founder and board president of Amazon Watch and served as the organization’s first executive director for 18 years. In response to the Amazon fires in 2019, Atossa helped co-found Artists for Amazonia to catalyze global action for the Amazon. In recognition for her life’s work as rainforests and indigenous rights campaigner, Atossa was named the Hillary Institute’s 2013 Global Laureate for Climate Leadership. Atossa is also a member and contributing author to the Science Panel for the Amazon.
Michal Kravčík is an acclaimed Slovak water scientist, Goldman environmental award recipient, ASHOKA fellow, and co-author of A New Water Paradigm: Water for the Recovery of the Climate, which emphasizes hydrologic cycles in addressing climate change and resilience. He is a recent founder of the Water Holistic Company, Ltd., and chairman of Slovakia’s NGO People and Water awarded the Democracy and Civil Society Development Prize. In response to the historic 2010 floods in Slovakia, he spearheaded a massive flood and drought prevention efforts to revitalize 488 townships, rehydrating their watersheds. Kravčík coordinated the Green Restoration Program policy for the Košice Region of Slovakia, approved by the regional parliament in 2021. He has authored a Global Action Plan for the Restoration of Natural Water Cycles and Climate.
This panel is part of our Nature’s Solutions as National Policy mini conference series. Learn more about this series here: https://bio4climate.org/conferences/natures-solutions-as-national-policy/
#ecorestoration #environmentalpolicy #water
Code Red Water: Two Global Perspectives with Atossa Soltani & Michal Kravčík
