Two of the worlds most iconic species were declared functionally extinct this weekend, Australia’s koala and Indonesia’s woolly, mysterious Sumatran rhino. You might have heard about it somewhere. https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2019/11/23/koalas-functionally-extinct-after-australia-bushfires-destroy-80-of-their-habitat/

Imagine if instead someone had hurled the Mona Lisa onto a fire this weekend. Imagine the hysterical headlines. Remember how big a deal it was when Notre Dame burned down? Governments, corporations and philanthropists gave €1 billion almost immediately to rebuild it.

We are literally burning the tree of life. These species have existed for tens of millions of years and played a critical role in the ecosystems they inhabited. One by one, when they go, the world loses them forever. And yet it’s there on page 19 of some tabloid, in the corner.

Koalas and rhinos are just the ones we notice, because they are iconic, interesting. Every day countless smaller creatures, frogs, insects, plants disappear forever without a mention. And it’s all our fault.

We need to make a radical effort, locally and globally, to rebuild nature. Either you decide to be part of this effort, in your day-to-day life, where you work, which charities you support, or you’re not – and you won’t be able to look your children and grandchildren in the eye.