In the film, Amadeus, Mozart’s patron, the Emperor Joseph II, criticises a Mozart piece with the memorable phrase; 'Your work is ingenious. It's quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that's all. Just cut a few and it will be perfect.'
We sometimes feel that some decision makers feel the same about the variety of life. Biodiversity is a quality product of evolution – a shame that there are so many confusing species!
What a different attitude was taken in the immediate aftermath of the 1992 Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. Then, the Secretary of State, John Gummer, eloquently celebrated the richness of life on earth and pledged that government would seek to protect that wonderful diversity. Then we were amazed and delighted by a politician making speeches in praise of the lowly dung beetle. How long ago that now seems.
Today the government has updated its list of threatened species – and we learn that there are many more threatened UK species than were previously recognised. We watch with interest and concern to see how government reacts to the updated scientific information.
This planet is, as far as we know, the only place in the universe where life exists – and what a profusion of life! The multiplicity of species is what, above all else, makes our small blue planet uniquely special. Even if we discover life elsewhere it won’t be the same - it won’t be brimstone butterflies, skylarks, bluebells and dung beetles!
The life around us, the profusion of species, is not a work of art, but it rates just as highly in beauty, complexity and diversity, and as a source of wonder, inspiration and joy. Well, to us, and to the millions of people who are members of wildlife conservation organisations it does.
We believe that how a nation treats its biodiversity is a test of its civilisation and culture – and for a scientifically strong and economically rich nation there can be no excuse to ignore the needs of threatened species. Failing to respond to the needs of wildlife would amount to cultural philistinism akin to burning books or failing to protect listed buildings.
And, if we fail to respond to the needs of wildlife we will fail to meet our own needs too. Species are the building blocks of our life support system. Species feed us, pollinate our crops and gardens, recycle our waste and nutrients, store our CO2 in ocean sediments; hundreds of thousands of species, each fulfilling a different role and together supporting our life on earth.
The consequences of losing even one of the species on the new list are unknown. What cannot be denied is that any extinction represents a loss of options and opportunities and that every extinction weakens the foundations of our own life support system.
So we hope that Ms Ruddock, the new Minister for Biodiversity, recognises the cultural, emotional and service values of these threatened species and steps up to the challenge that a longer list represents. We hope that she will promise more action for species conservation. Will she show that she cares? Will she make commitments to protect our natural heritage? Will she show that she appreciates the importance of biodiversity?
We sincerely hope so, and we pledge that our organisations, with many thousands of willing volunteers, will help government to do a better job for our natural heritage.
If government does not promise to protect our species then Mrs Ruddock must put herself in the position of Emperor Joseph and answer Mozart’s question ‘Which few did you have in mind, Majesty?’
By Dr Mark Avery, Conservation Director, RSPB; Victoria Chester, Chief Executive, Plantlife; Matt Shardlow, Conservation Director, Buglife; Martin Warren, Chief Executive, Butterfly Conservation.