If conservation is to be mainstreamed, its practitioners cannot afford to ignore big businesses such as mining and oil companies, says Valli Moosa on taking over the reins at the largest conservation NGO in the world.
Moosa plans to encourage dialogue between businesses and conservationists in his role as president of the IUCN-The World Conservation Union during the next four years. It’s a controversial approach because purist members of the environmental movement are often hesitant to negotiate with business. Many still believe that dialogue with businesses such as mining and oil companies is little more than public relations ‘green washing”.
Moosa is adamant that businesses, even if they have dismal environmental records in the past, must be approached and included in discussions. If conservation is to become a popular issue, conservationists have to connect with the big players of the world.
‘Conservation is everyone’s business and not the exclusive preserve of environmental NGOs,” he says. ‘We have to engage with those who exercise political and economic power. We work with governments, and we will also work with big businesses.”
Without keeping the channels of communication open, Moosa says, conservationists will never build a fruitful relationship with mining houses, governments or big corporations to influence them in a positive way.
Moosa was elected president of the IUCN in November 2004. His charisma and political connections have created high expectations that he will lead the organisation into a new era of heightened awareness among the citizens of the world, says Saliem Fakir, director of the IUCN’s South African office.
‘Moosa definitely has the political clout to drive the IUCN powerhouse,” Fakir says. ‘His experience and international contacts will benefit conservation and he will bring stability to the IUCN.”
The former South African minister of environmental affairs and tourism was elected to the position during the IUCN’s four-yearly congress, held in Bangkok. He says it is imperative for the IUCN to become a major force in world politics. ‘The world wants to see action.”
One of his first moves will be to urge the organisation to use the name ‘World Conservation Union”.
‘Who knows what IUCN stands for? Even I am not always sure. If we start referring to the organisation as the World Conservation Union, maybe people will start realising what its job is.”
It should play a bigger role on the world stage and in international politics. ‘One of my first steps will be to lobby for the IUCN to receive a high-powered permanent representative at the United Nations,” he says. The organisation presently has observer status in the UN General Assembly, but Moosa believes it should be involved in making important world decisions.
Statistically the IUCN is already a powerhouse. In 2003 its external operating income was just over R566,2-million. Its membership includes 81 governments, 730 national NGOs and 77 international NGOs. More than 10 000 scientists work on its six commissions, and their studies come with a formidable reputation.
Yet it lags behind as an influential force in world politics. Moosa says it is a sleeping giant, ‘but slowly the union is building up and it now has tremendous potential to be unlocked”.
The 10-day conference in Bangkok highlighted that much work needs to be done. It painted a bleak picture of the future if world leaders and decision makers continue to treat the environment as a second-rate responsibility.
Moosa knows the threats. Tackling critical issues such as the depletion of marine resources and global warming is at the top of his agenda. He is eyeing the oceans as one of his pet projects and will petition the world to declare more marine areas under protection. The fish trade is slowly killing the world’s marine life and many species under the water face possible extinction.
‘Only 1% of the oceans is protected, as opposed to 12% of the land surface that is under conservation,” Moosa says. ‘The protection of oceans and marine life needs our attention. Very little has been done to protect the high seas.”
During his term as minister of environmental affairs and tourism, Moosa lobbied to have five new marine protected areas declared along South Africa’s coast. In May last year, his successor Marthinus van Schalkwyk finally incorporated his work into legislation ensuring that South Africa’s marine resources now receive far better protection.
The success of South Africa’s ‘people and conservation” strategy was a hot topic at the conference in Bangkok. So were the popular former minister’s innovative legislation, control measures on plastic bags and ban on 4×4 beach driving.
Chippy Olver, director general in the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, says South Africa has become a trendsetter for international conservation and Moosa’s appointment at the IUCN reaffirms how far the country has progressed.
‘During his term as minister Moosa introduced massive innovations to make people and conservation real to South Africa,” Olver says. He says Moosa attracted international attention at the World Summit on Sustainable Development and the Fifth IUCN World Parks Congress, both of which were held in South Africa largely due to Moosa’s efforts.
Moosa says he will use his South African experience to show other parts of the world that ‘conservation done properly can contribute to poverty relief.
‘My election gives prestige to the kind of conservation that has been happening in South Africa. The South African way should be taken to the rest of the world, though the country still has massive challenges.”
Despite his big plans and ideas, some people in the IUCN are sceptical about how far his powers will go. The position of president is non-executive and totally voluntary.
Moosa counters that, though there might be limitations on his powers, he will use the position of president to ‘take a stand on difficult issues.
‘A big difference can be made in the world in this position,” he said. ‘The president is the face of the organisation and acts as a global voice of conservation.”