Biodiversity in the Built Environment Roundtable Part 2

Learn from some top experts on biodiversity during Part 2, of the Biodiversity in the Built Environment Roundtable. Gain perspective on this topic that is not only vital to understand from an industry perspective but also from a climate change angle. Led by Claire Wansbury, this Roundtable included a superb panel of experts. Claire is an Atkins Fellow and Technical Director Atkins, a world-leading engineering and environmental consultancy. She will share her particular expertise in biodiversity and natural capital. Claire is one of the UK’s top experts on biodiversity net gain, including having co-authored national good practice principles. In 2022, Claire was included in the Ends Director’s Power List of the 100 most influential environmental professionals. With over 30 years of experience as an award-winning ecologist, in the last few years, Claire has been working with environmental economists and others to build a shared understanding of the value of benefits our natural world provides to people. Together with some of her colleagues, Claire produced an excellent short magazine before COP15. This is a very useful resource regardless of what your level of knowledge is as it combines insights and hopes from top experts along with a selection of case studies. “The globally and instantly recognisable WWF panda logo took its inspiration from Chi-Chi, a giant panda that arrived at London Zoo in the late 1950s. The strikingly simple image was drawn by British conservationist Sir Peter Scott, with a helping hand from environmentalist and artist, Gerald Watterson. Sir Peter’s rationale for featuring the panda was powerful and practical, ‘We wanted an animal that is beautiful, is endangered, and one loved by many people in the world for its appealing qualities. We also wanted an animal that had an impact in black and white to save money on printing costs.’ That logo and the reasons behind it offer a beacon of hope for me. While pandas are considered to be vulnerable, they are no longer endangered thanks to the decades of specialist knowledge in breeding and conservation efforts carried out around the world. This story demonstrates that we can make a positive difference.” Claire Wansbury excerpt from the Engineering a Nature Positive Future publication. Below is a another quote from an article that Claire co-authored with her colleague, Senior Environmentalist at Atkins, Jonathan Nichols: What we found most compelling in the Dasgupta Review was the comparison of biodiversity (a key part of the world’s “Natural Capital”) to an investment portfolio – no sensible investor would rely on only a few assets for their profits; they would ensure they have a diverse portfolio to secure a return and mitigate their risks....

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