Achievement

Given the great potential for human populations to degrade ecosystems it is imperative to understand factors that enable cultures to act sustainably in the face of growing populations, diminishing habitats and resources, and climate change. Trainee Jason Sexton investigated the hypothesis that cultures where citizens are better cared for take better care of their ecosystems. He found that countries in which citizens have higher levels of human development, as estimated by the United Nations, conserve, replant, or plant more forests than countries with lower levels of education, effective governance, and health care. This result suggests that conservation investments should focus not only on the direct protection of species and habitats, but also on improving the lives of humans. Such actions may influence the actual causes of current habitat degradation: the failure of cultures to sustainably regulate their actions and conserve their resources.